the 2-hour tarot tutor the fast, revolutionary method

ISBN 0-7499 -2610-4

oe ll

9 780749 926106

£9.99

-

The2-hourTAROTTUTOR

The fas t. revolutionarymeth od fo r learning to read

tarot cards in 2 hours

WILMA CARROLL

QI)ClOPl ATKUS

do Visit the Piatkus website!ao .Pialkus publishes a wide range of best-selling fiction andnon-ficti on, includ ing books on healt h. mind . body & spi rit.sex. self-help, cookery, biography and the paranormal.

If you want to:• read descrip tions of OUf popular t itles

• buy OUf books ever the Internet

• take advantage of OU f special offers

• enter our monthly competi ti on

• learn more about your favou rite Piatk us authorsToM" Belotoed Aunt DO'tmhy

VIS IT OUR WUSlTE AT: www.piatkus.co.uk

~Tlgtll e 2004 "" \It'ilma Carrol l

-'- \ '>'i o:>7~

I? i ;2..LJ.

FInl rubll<hN in rho:- Unued Sfafel ,,/ Arnrn<:3 in 2004byThr Brrl.ky PuH...... lf1( GrourA d,,,,,",,,, oi rfTl£llln G~{USA) Inc.m HuJ.on~.Nr-w York. N.Y. 10014

flO( rubll<heJ in Oml Rnt,.,n In ZOOS byPiarkll\ Boob LedSWindmill SUffl:. u.nJon WIT 21AnnaiL:inf~afkus.co.lIl.

Thr moral righl cf Ih~ luI....... ha l t-n u ....nnl

ISBN 0 749926 10 4

Tn ! design byTiffany Esereicber1lIu.....ml i"m fwm the Ritlc-,-Wlli,., Tarot Deck.• knc....n a1'1O as the Rld...r Tlltol and ' heWaite Tatol, l't'J'I'Odu, i!'d hy penn, ...;on ,'If U.s. (J~m" 5Y'te"", I",.• Stamf..,J , Con ""cIL' ul . 06902 USA. Uoryright 1971 by U.S. Games 51"''''''' ' Inc. Further~'Kl ion r whit>" i!'d . Th., Rilkr·Waile Tarol [)".., !<. ~. a re~,,, ... r....l l ra,,..mark of U.S. G am...,SY1,.,nu, Inc.

Th i~ book ha. bee n l"inreJ on 1"'p<'1 manufll(lureJ" ·ith r~, f" r the enviwnm.,1lI using woodfromntan ageJ !I" ' la mahl.. n'lk '"-"' t'S

Til"""" III Great Rntalll by Ph"';"ni~ PhOl,,,,,,ru ng. G alh am. K.,n!Pr meed and bound 1IlG reat Rrllain by Ma, !<.a \"lI of Gatham ltd

CONT~NTS

Acknouoledgrnents ix

IntToouction: Swp, Look. Lezen! xi

I. OS E pU::nJRE IS W O RT H A

T IIOUSAND WO RD S .•• .•• .. .. ..• .•.•• .• . .• ... . 1

PART A: E-ZTHREE CARDSPREAD 1Et.'t'TJ Picntre Tt'Us a Scory

NOT ICE

This mdhod i.s parantud to _ '" if eM iTutTw:t1mu aTlt fol ·Iowrd in duoaact OTdn in which chty art PTt SnI!td! Do NOT

T~ CO eM othn- dwptns until eM anriJts in THE RRST 2HOURS~ bun rorrt<:tI, C"ompktl'd!

PART B: THE ARSTZHOURS .11GeltingThere Is Half theFun!

S ECTION 1: THE I NITIAL E XERC iSE . . •• •• . •• •• •• • . •11

SECT ION ~: T HE R EA DI NG • •• •• •.. • •• • • •. • •. • • •• 15

viii CONTENTS

II. SA.M pLE RE A Ul N(j S fOR 'ru nCE LT IC C ROS S S p RE A D .•..• .•..•....•.•..•. .27

or Bum an Otani:C' Ca nd le and Call ,.te, in the Morning!

111. A RE W E U AV I N(j f U S YET? 5

Qut'Stion s. A ns,",'t'n . Troublnhooting, and Fin erunin g

IV. T H E S EV E N TR l pI.ET S OR -ru e S t;V E N s ts'r unsSpREAD ......... ..•• .•.. ... . .. .... .. . ..... •115

The legacy of Pollv's Tea Room

V. -r u u I NfORM ATI O N SUp t R 1II (jIlWA1" • ..... 123

Ad,"OlIKN Sp""aiU a,w l ittle Eur.>s

VI. -rue U I.T1~ ATE QU ESTIO N" ..... ....• .••.•.•16 7

" Do You Ever Gel Anl' Great Re\'e!arion ,,?"

VII . fl NA J.E: T il E I.AST (H f :'TUR E S IIOW . •.. •. . •. 19 1

Possible Meaninll:~ to the c...rJ~

Bibliography , 285

A CKN OWU; DgM E N T S

My deepest gratitude lin.dy goes to my agen t. Mary Tahan, and

my editor, Christ ine Zika. They were the tWO very powerful

forces beh ind th is book.

Specia l thanks to graphic designer Michele Montefort e;

Peter G ray Cohen for biographic al informat ion on the late

Eden Gray; Lynn M. Bucss for allowing me to include h is

wonderful Tarot spreads {Five-By-Five and Yes or No) ; the

late Richard Ga rdner for h is Tarot spread (Past, Present , and

Future) and Magent a Wise for giving me permission to indude it.

Much appreciation for the help I received from the guys at

Copy Cats: Rob, Jim, and Kama ; and many thanks to George

Keskenv and Tammy Mauriello for those little extras.

I shall be eternally indebted to the many spiritual teachers I

met along the W3)', who answered my unending: questions, in.

dulged me in my youthful exuberance, and always encouraged

me in my spiritual pursuits.

I am also grateful to the many people whose feedback over

x ACKN OWLEDGMENTS

the years helped me (0 navigate the course of my Tarot card

readings and the development of my teach ings.

I believe everyone can read Tarot cards. It is really an open

secret, and now I share it with the world. This gift was made

possible because of all the others who generously shared their

knowledge and inspirat ion with me.

I N T RO D U CT I O N :IST O p , LOOK , L I ST~ N.

It was 2 A. M . I had been shuffl ing and throwing the cards since

10 P.M. With each spread, I would look IIp the mean ings in

hooks. I had been repeating this same ritual for weeks. I was [Ty

ing in vain (0 learn how (0 read Tarot cards.

A sophomore in college, I had an English Lit class at 8:30

A. M. I was exhausted and had (0 gel some sleep, but I couldn't

stop. Forcing myself, I gathered the cards together and placed

them in a glitrenng antique beaded bag. It was intended solei)'

for them. I set it h igh on a shelf.

As I lay in bed, hovering between consciousness and sleep,

the cards began to rise up in my though ts and the images

danced in my mind. Last week the 3 of Cu ps had come up two

times, falling in the position of the home. Then I remembered

several friends had made a surprise visit to my apartment . Five

days ago, The Lovers came up in the position of the future. The

following day a guy I had been interested in asked me out.

More and more pictures swirled through my head, appearing

xii INTROOUCTlON: STOP. LOO~ . AND LISTEN!

before me as reminders. describing something that had recen tly

happened in my life. What I began to realize was that th e cards

were actually talking (0 me. In fact, they had alwaysbeen talk

ing (0 me through the pictuTf5 . only I had not been listening. Finally. sleep overlook me.

The next dav, my classes were over by 12:30 P.M. I rushed

back home with no intention of srudvmg. Pulling the cards

from the shelf I grabbed all the Tarot books and put them on

the shelf. I ",HAS going to read the cards without the books. I was

going to look only at the cards. What was in the pictures! What

did I see! Eureka! That was the whole key! look at the cards,nor in the books!

The2-hourTAROTTUTOR

I

I

ONE pI CTU R E I S WORT H A

T HO USAN D WO R DS

PART A: E-Z T H REE CA RD SPREAD

EWT) Picture Tells a SlOT)

James sat before me spe llbound. He was a business major at a

compet itive university on Long Island. New York.

"How do you do it!" he wondered aloud.

"It's easy!" I assured h im.

I pulled a card from the deck, th e Knight of C ups.

"Look a t the card. What do you seer I asked. "Say wha t you

see in the card," . instructed.

A t fi rst he was bashful about it. but I insisted.

"Make someth ing up!" I urged .

James quickly gave a description .

"I see a man riding a horse. He's carrying a cup. There are

wings on h is helmet and on h is heels." (Sec Figure 1.1.)

Z THE 2 - HOUR TAROT TUTOR ONE PICTURE 15 WORTH A THOUSAND WORDS J

"It looks like a married couple," he answered. (See Figure1.3.)

2 ofCup~

Look at the ca rd . Say

what you see In the

card: Two peop le in love

or a married couple.

FIGURE 1.3

KNIGJ-IT of CUl"j.

After that, I laid the three cards side-by-side. I instructed

James to make up a story about the three cards all together.

"Someone carries a message about a wedding parry. An invi

tation [Q a wedding!" he blurred.

I informed James he had just given h is fi rst Tarot card read

ing and all he had to do was Jook at the cords!

FIGURE 1,2

J of Cup.~

loo'\ at the ca rd. Say

what you see in the

card: Three women

dancing and holding

eves. It's a party.

Knight of CupsLook at the ca rd . Say

what you see in the

card: A man is riding B

horse . He carries a cup .

There are wings on his

helmet and on his heels.

FIGURE 1.1

KNIGHT«cuss,

I then pulled another card, the 3 of Cu ps. I asked h im [Q re

peat the same exercise.

"Look at the card. Say what you see in the card," I instructedagain.

James gave another description of this card.

"I see three women dancing and holding cups. They're par

tying!" he said, laughing. (See Figure 1.2.)

I then pulled a third card, the 2 of C ups, and repeated the

same instructions.

.. TH£ 2 . HOUR TAROT TUTOR

Let's fry the same exercee usina:a ~I of three d iffer~m cards.

Look OIl the urd, and lU y ,,·hal ,"'OU 10«. Make !Tre a.uociations

loIoirh the imagn. Be ffIOIl taMOUS and go with the hnl rh i~

that COffin to mind !

Look OIl Ihe ca rd. Say 'AMt you see in the u rd : A man is

"""'i"".(5.< Figure 1.4.)

Look ar liM' card. s.. ~. ,,·MI ~'UU ~ in liM' ca rd. Whal

C~ (0 your mind immaJiatd y: A man is 6ghting agairw

KX11cthlng. (Sec Fi~'\J1'C' 1.5.)

ON£ PtCTUR£ IS WORTH A THOUSANO WOROS 5

Look at the card. Sal' " 'hal '"UU W"t' in the ca rd : A terribl e

h~t or a violent argument. (5« FiKUI'C' 1.6.)

Now. look at the three cards stdt·by·,iJe. Wca~ what you

have seen In each ca rd into a MOfY. lncoepoeaee the k, uords

~'OU used 10 descnbe them: \\Ofk, 6ghu, bad argumnu . HO"·

about somcthing hke thi$: Argument and power struggleswh ere 00(' worb..

6 THE 2 -HOUR TAROT TUTOR

Here's anot her example. This time tf)' it u.;u.out any h ints.

Remember to look at the card. ~}' what you see in the card.

Go with what immed iately comes into your mind. Fret associare. Then rnove on to the next card.

Look at the card. Say what ) 'OU see in the card.

ONE PICTURE IS WORTH A THOUSAND WORDS 7

Look at the card. ~l' WMt vou see in the cu d .

Now weave what you see in these cards into a story or inter

pretanon. Make fret d UOCiatioru with the images, Use l<e) lW'fl:ls(0 describe them.

Perhaps you see an introspective ",'Oman who is th inkin2 of

walking away from a troubling romance. Or maybe you see a

woman who is disappointed about a relationsh ip or tlunktng

8 THE 2 - HOUR TAROT TUTOR

about giving up on love completely. You may even see a

woman reading a sad book about an unfulfilling Ot unrequited

romance. All of these in terpretations can be correct. O r you

may see someth ing totally different from what I am suggesting.

Certa inly other interpretations are also possible. But. it is im

porta nt to go with the first impression that pops into your

mind. A good cop will agree: Your fill! hunch is usually your best.Dion Fortune was one of th e most famous and prolific oc

cult writers of the twentieth century. In her book. Practical

Occultism in Daily Ufe. she wrot e how. with any form of div

ina tio n, the in terpreta tion [must] "leap spontaneo usly to th e

mind .. ." Always go with whar instantaneously comes to

your mind . This is a very important key to reading Tarot

cards.

Readin g Tarot cards is really very easy. All you have to do is

look at th e cards and say what you see! By simply looking at

the cards, you are making an intuitive connection with them.

The cards speak in a language of symbols. If you look at the

cards, the images actually do talk to you.

This is a truly revolutionary technique. I break all the rules.

And here is a trade secret: so do all the really good readers. T hey

are not following the standard rules either.

With my radical method, th ere is no memorizing of mean

ings, no years and years of studying; nor do you even have to

think. Instead, you will be able to develop your own mean ings

to the cards spontaneously if you immediately get into th e

habit of looking at the cards and saying what you see. These in

struct ions will be repealed th roughout th e book. Co nstant rep

etition is what helps th e mind get past the resistance of

preconceived ideas. If you have already been trying to figure

out the Tarot , you most likely have several preconceived ideas


about the cards and may have built up a resistance to this new

approach. Clear your mind. Start afresh. And always remember

to look at the cards and say what you see!

The exercises in the following section are more in-depth.

Follow the instructions exactly the way they are presented!

*N OTICEFollow These Instructions

In the Exact Order

In Which They Are Presented!

Do Not Skip Ahead!

Do Not Refer to the Other Chapters

Until the Exercises in

The First 2 Hours

Have Been Correc tly Completed!

This Method is Guaranteed to Work

If the Instructions

Are Followed Sequentially.

*

ONE PICTURE IS WORTH A THOUSANO WORDS II

PART B: T HE FIRST 2 H O URS

GellingThere Is Halflhe Fun!

* SECfION I: THE INITIAL EXERCISE

Marie showed me all of her Tarot books.

"They're so confusing," she complained . " I can't figure them

out!"

Havin g just entered her freshman year at a college in Penn

sylvania, she was well-acquainted with Tarot cards. Her moth er

had consu lted many readers while Marie was growing up in

New Jersey. By her mother's side for many of th ese sessions,

Marie watched with burning curiosity, wondering how it was

done.

Now she was determined ro crack the code herself and maybe

even save her mother some money. But Marie had fallen into

th e trap of looking up the meanings in books, trying ro memo

rize th em; and. she found all of the instructions too compli

cated to understand .

"These books give me a headache!" she complained.

"Put th e books away," I instructed. I gathered them togethe r

and set th em off to the side.

And these CITe the same instructions I nowgil'" to allof you Tamr

enthusiasts . rur your Taror books away ;all of them. rut them highon a shelf, out of reach. You wiU not be needing them. AU you neednowis your deck of Rider-Waite Tarot Cards.

You are going to start with the first card. If you have just

taken th e deck out of the package. the cards will be in order and

the first will be The Magician . If you have been playing with

them for awh ile {and l expect you have) it is nor necessary to

put them in order. You can start with whichever card is on top.


PICK UP A CARD AND LOOK AT IT. SAY WHAT YO U

SEE IN THE CARD. Qu ickly say one thing you see in the card.

Be sponta neous, do not think about it; instead, say wha tever im

mediately comes to mind . You may see a man standing with

outstretched arms. Say what you see. You may see someone sit

ting under a tree staring at cups. Say whal you see.

Say at least one th ing you see or as many as three th ings; but,

be very quick. Do not pause or hesitate. Do not stop to th ink.

Spontaneously and quickly, SAY WHAT YO U SEE IN THE

CARD. Then move onto to the next card, repeat ing th e same

exercise until you have gone th rough all seventy-eight Tarot

cards wry quickly. Be spontane0U.5 and speedy.

*NOW PUT THE BOOK DOWN.

LOOK ONLY AT THE CARDS WHILE

DOING THIS EXERCISE.

DO NOT PI CK U P THE BOOK UNTIL YO U HAVE

COMPLETED THIS EXERCISE.

IF YOU HAVE COMPLETED TH E

EXERCI SE ABOVE, YOU MAY CONTINU E WITH THE

FOLLOWING EXER CI SE.

*Now you are going to repeat th e same exercise; except this

time at a slower pace. Look closer and longer at th e cards.-Takesome time to not ice more details in th e pictures. Look for

something you did not see before. Here are some examples to

get you started.


TEMPERANCE: An angel stands with one foot in the water and

one foot on the ground . Water is poured from cha lice to cha l

ice. To his right, a path leads to the sun in th e background.

ruE STAR: A woman has one foot in th e water and a knee on

the ground. She pours wate r into the water and onto th e

ground . Behind her is a bird perched in a tree.

ruE KlOL: A man looks to the sky while stepping off a cl iff. A

dog barks at his foot. He holds a flower in his left hand.

QU EEN OF PENTACLES: A rabbit scoots by to the left of her

throne . (You have to look closely for this. Even the Queen her

self does not see ir.)

10 OF PENTACLES: In the foreground sits an older man looking

on. (This is another one you have to look for closely.)

KING OF WANDS: A man sits on a th rone. Leaves sprout out of

th e wand he is holding. A tiny lizard sits to his left.

7 OF WANDS: A man wears a shoe on his right foot and a boot

on his Icft foot .

QU EEN OFSWORDS: A woman sits on a throne. Her left hand is

sligh tly raised. She stares off int o the distance. Only her profil e

is visible, not her ent ire face.

PAGEOFSWORDS: A young man appears to be leaning to his left,

but looks to his right. The top of the sword he holds is missing.

Birds fly above.

14 THE 2-HOUR TAROT TUTOR

9 OF SWORDS, Astrological symbols and roses cover the blan

ket. On th e panel, below th e bed, appea r to be two men fight

ing. (H ere is ano ther one you must look at ' oery closely.)

6 OFSWORDS, To th e left of the boa t, the water is calm; to th e

right, th e water is rippled.

Your responses sho uld sti ll be quick and spontaneous. Take

on ly a few minutes with each card. Go through all seventy

eight cards again . Look at th e cards and say what you see.

*NO W PUT T HE BOOK DOWN AGA IN.

DO NOT PICK IT UP UN TI L

YOU HAVE CO MPLETED T HIS EXERCISE.

*I hope you have completed the above-exercises exac tly as I

have instructed. These exe rcises are very impo rta nt. They lay

the founda t ion for all your future work with Tarot cards. By

looking at th e cards you are allowing your subconsc ious mind to

make an intui tive link with the Tarot 's symbolism, and you are

already beginning naturally to develop your own mean ings to

th e cards. In ot he r word s, whe n you look at the picture, you in

tuit ively get the picture. T his is an ongoing process. As you con

tinuously look at a Tarot card over the years, you will likely see

someth ing different and revise its mean ing.

Spontanei ty is the essential key. It unlock s your imuiti''et

psychic faculties by facilita ting the sh ift from logical thinking

to intuitive perception. Rat ional th inking interferes with the

intuitive mind. If you depend on your rati onal (thinking)

ONE PICTURE IS WORTH A THOUSANO WORDS 15

mind to read th e cards, it will be an exercise in futil ity. Spon

tanei ty, not thinking, engages the intu it ion, wh ich lets impres

sions flow smoo thly. This brings insights instantly to consc ious

awareness and works in harm ony with the true essence of Tarot

cards.

PART B: T HE FIRST 2 HOURS

Gelling There Is Half the Flln!

* SECTION 2: THE READING

Sean fidgeted with the cards. He was about to give himself hi s

first Tarot reading.

"I'm a little nervous about this," he confided.

"No need to be," I assured h im.

This is the same assurance I give to all of you Tarot aficiona

dos. You will still continue with the basic exercise: Look at the

cams and say what you see, except this time the cards will have

part icular placements.

It has been my observat ion that this is where many peopl e

begin to experience extreme confusion . I am going to elimina te

tha t by giving you anothe r trade secret. Skilled readers are not

th ink ing abo ut the cards' posit ions in a spread. Sk illed readers

are looking at (reading) the cams. This is exac tly what I have

been teaching you. Keep th is secret in the back of your mind

whe n following the next set of instructions, The various

spreads used for Tarot card reading are designed to give the

reader some direction. It is the cards themselves that will ulti

mately do the talking!

There are countless spreads that can be used , but th e most

popular is the Celt ic Cross Spread.

16 THE 2 · HOUR TAROT TUTOR

r , The fi rst step is to selec t what is ca lled a signijicacor. This

is the card used 10 represent the person getti ng the reading.

That individual is ca lled th e querem. The significator is usually

a court card th at best describes th e appearance of th e querent.

Here are some suggested guidelines for th is select ion:

Black hair or very dark hair, dark eyes-Penlacles

Blond or very light hair, blue or light eyes-Cups

Red hair or light brown hair, hazel or brown eyes-Wands

Light,medium, or dark brown hair, gray or lighteyes-Swords

A man 35 years of age or older-a king

A woman 35 years of age or older-a queen

A young man 18 to 34 yearsof age-a knight

A young woman 18 to 34 years of age-a page

A teenager or child {male or femalel-a page

I repeat, the se are suggested guidelines only. You can also se

lect a significato r according 10 your own personal taste and style

by using whichever card you feel best represents the querent.

For a mother you might use The Empress; for a fathe r, The Em

peror; a clergyman or very religious individual, The Hiero

phanr: a judge or a lawyer, Justice. Or regardless of appearance,

you may see a businesswoman as th e Queen of Pentacles or th e

Queen of Wands; a student as the Page or Knight of Pentacles

and so on. Many years ago, a dear friend of mine used 10 insist

my significator was The High Priestess.

A significato r is not necessary. I have been reading Tarot

cards for over three decades and stopped using a significator

years ago because I felt it d id not add to the reading. I know

many othe r professionals who also agree with me. The choice is

yours. Tarot card reading is an art; you are the artist.


After you choose a significator, if you choose to do so, put it

10 th e side for th e time being. You will be using it when you lay

out the cards.

~. The next step is to shuffle the cards. If you have selected

a sign ificato r, th e cards are shuffled without it . Remember, keep

it aside for now. If you have not selec ted a significa tor, shuf

fle the entire deck. The qu erent usually shuffl es the cards.

However, this is a prlUtice reading, so you are going to be th e

que rent and give yourself a reading and shuffl e the cards for

yourself.

I always say 10 shuffle the cards until they feel right. By thi s I

mean, when one feels comfortable with the energy of th e cards

and that a rapport has been made with them.

There is a theory among bridge players and card sha rks th at

a deck of fifty-two cards must be shuffled seven times to be

th orough ly mixed. The Tarot contains seventy-e igh t cards and

could probably use about ten or eleven shuffles.

Unfortu na tely most peop le do not shuffle very well ; so I

suggest you, or th e querent , put some energy (or umpf) int o

this procedure and give th e cards a really good mixing. You

might try relaxing by taking a few deep breat hs; th en clear

your mind as you shuffle. A clear mind makes for a clear read

ing, even if asking a specific question, which , of course, th e

Tarot can be used for. However, there will be instruct ions for

that late r. For th e time being, let 's see what comes out. I find

this 10 be one of th e most fascinat ing aspec ts of the Taro t.

Man y th ings are revealed . Future and unexpec ted event s can

be seen in the card s, espec ially when you give th em th e

chance 10 ta lk freely. It is easier 10 hear th eir voice if th e

mind is clear when shuffl ing.

18 THE 2- HOUR TAROT TUTOR ONE PICTURE IS WORTH A THOUSAND WORDS 19

Cutthe deck into three separate piles with your left hand . going lett When

readingforanotherperson, the querent cutsthe deckwiththe left hand. go

iog lett,

Position 6. "Thi s is before you."

Position 7. "Th is is you."

Posit ion 8. "This is your home, family, friends, and/or en vi..

ron ment."

J . After you have thoroughly shuffled th e ca rds, place rhc

deck facedown and with your left hand, going lefr, cut th e deck

into three separate piles (See Diagram 1.1). Remember, if you

were reading for someone else, th e querent would CUI the deck.

However, the reader always picks up the ca rds after th ey have

been cut by placing one pile on top of the ot he r. Wilh your right

hand, pick up pile 1 firsl. Place it on top of pile number 2 and

th en place th at on rop of pile 3. You should now be holding a

full deck of Taror ca rds in your right hand.

According 10 tradit ion, after th e querent has CUI th e deck il

should nOI be touched again by the queren t, bUI handled on ly

by th e reader until anothe r spread is don e. This is one trad ition

1 am strict aboul-my personal taste. Later on , you can decide

for yourself how you feel about this tradition.

3

DIAGRAM 1.1

2 1

4· Followin g Diagram 1.2, lay the ca rds oUI faceup. If a sig

n ificator is used , it is placed down first (face up), under the ca rd

in Posit ion 1. So me readers will say th e following words OUI

loud when placing each ca rd in its proper position . Ir is nor nec

essary lo say this. Here again, it depe nds on your perso na l style.

1 used lo repeat th ese words many years ago, now I don't . (l

want 10 reemphasize rechnlcaliries are not what's really irnpor

lam. They are merely ritualistic and add no magic 10 th e read

ing. The magic is in th e connec tion you make with the ca rds by

lookingat the cards and saying what you see.)

Position 1. "This is what covers you."

Position 2. "This is what crosses you."

Position 3. "Th is is above you:'

Position 4. "This is below you."

Position 5. "Th is is behind you."

Position 9. "These are your hopes and/o r fears."

Positi on 10. "Thi s is the outcome or culmination."

5. After you have laid the cards OUI, quickly read over the

explanation for each position. Donor trv 10 mem orize this, Donot begin referring 10 the cards in the spread unti l l give the in

struct ions to do so, and don't worry if you forgeI everyth ing as

soon as you have read it . (I will give more detai ls about th is in

th e next chapter.) Many peop le tell me they have difficu lrv

remembering these positions: and this is whe re 1 see the diffi

culty beginning. What is most important is lo always remem ber

the basic exe rcise: Look at the cards and say what you see! This

co nnects you di rec tly with the ca rds. After playing with th e

ca rds for a whil e, the posi tions will nat urally fall into place . Bur

they will never be as important as th e images in the ca rds

themselves,


[;] ~

-~

~I -[;]w

~[J

DIAGRAM 1 .2

The Celtic Cross SPTfOO ,Mean ings to th e Positions of the Celtic Cross Spread

I . This IsWhat CO\CTS You . This represents the atmosphere or

(emotional) environment in which infl uences are working.

2 . This IsWhatCrosses You. This represents an obstacle or an/

aid.

3. This Is Above YOIt. This indicates what the querent is or

should be a iming for in th e mailer. It is sometimes the solu

tion to the issue or the answer to the prob lem.

ONE PICTURE IS WORTH A THOUSAND WORDS 2 I

4. This Is BelowYou.This describes the subconscious rnotiva

tion of th e querent, how th e que rent is thinking, or the basis

or founda tion of the mailer.

5. This Is BehindYolt. This represents influen ces th at are now

passing away or the immediate or distant past.

6. This Is BeforeYou. This is the future or influences that may

have recently come int o view.

7. This Is YOIt. This represen ts the querent and/or the que r

ent's atti tude in the situat ion.

8. This Is YOUT Home, Family, Friends , and/or Environment.

This represents the querent 's home, family, friend s, or (ma

terial) environment or th e influences therein.,9. These Are Your Hopes and/or Fears. This represen ts th e

querent's hopes and/or fears regarding the mailer.

10, This Is the Outcome or C ulmination. This is the way th e

situat ion will tum out in th e end.

You are now ready to look at th e cards in th e spread before

you. You are going to give yourself a Tarot card readin g. Do not

wor ry about any othe r details at th is time, even invert ed/up

side-down cards. I will address that issue and man y othe r ques

tions later on in Cha pter 3. At thi s time, all you have to do is

look at the cards andsay what you see.Start with th e card in Position I . Look at the cam and say

what you see in the card. Project what you see in the card into

the mean ing of th at posit ion. If you have to refer to th e de

scription of th is posit ion, do so very quic kly, but do not get

caugh t up in thinking about it. If you have diffi culty relating th e


card to rhe position, diSTel'Jrd the position's meaning and focus only

on the card and what you see in the card. Spontaneity is st ill the

order of the day! Q uickly move on to Posit ion 2 and repeat the

same procedure. Go th rough all ten posit ions.

* * *Congratulat ions! You have just given yourself a Tarot card

readin g. For man y of you th is was the first time. I know eve ry

one got someth ing out of it. If you have followed these instruc

tions correc tly, the entire process should have taken abo ut two

hours. However th ere is much more to be gained! St ill focused

on the same spread , here arc some addi tional pointers:

• Be sure to take dated notes of the cards th at came up in

this first reading and all your pract ice spreads. You will most

likely be up till the wee hours of the morning like I was, throw

ing and th rowing the cards over and over aga in. Indeed , a lot

can be learned from these ini t ial pract ice readings. Pat terns

emerge from the very beginning; the cards really do sta rt talk

ing. By observing these patterns, you can learn the language of

the cards. However it is impossible to remember all the ca rds

that come up. That is why the notes make for easy reference.

Use the Celtic Cross Sp read Worksheet provided at the end of

th is chapte r to record the cards' positions. A n extra worksheet

for the Celtic C ross Spread is also provided at the end of the

book. Make copies and keep them in a Tarot file.

• Unde r the worksheet section for Notes and/or ObSCTl!CItions, keep track of any happenings, occurrences, or events that

remind you of the cards that came up in the spread. See what

ONE PICTURE IS WORTH A THOUSANO WOROS 23

transpires in a few days. A rc the events refl ected in any of the

cards! You will sec some very int eresting correspondences.

These observat ions will be helpful in further developing your

own mean ings, because the cards will be ta lking to you.

Also, in this sect ion, write down any feelings you may have

had abou t the cards in the spread. Remember you are beginn ing

to work on an intuitive level and will get feelings th at contrad ict

rat iona l thinking. Go with your feelings !

• This is on ly a practice reading. Do not take it too seriously

and do not lose sleep over it. Eventually, if not right away, you

will begin expe riment ing on your friends and family. Heaven

help them ! Always be gentle!

There is an old vaudevi lle joke. Someone asks a tax i driver,

"How do you get to Carneg ie Hall ?"

The driver's answer is "Pract ice , practice. practi ce!"

The same is true for learning how to read Tarot cards. PTac

rice makes perfect! Co ntinue working with th is basic spread. You

can use the Celtic Cross Spread for a general reading, to see

what comes out. O r you ca n use it to answer a specific question.

If you wish to advan ce, th ere arc instruct ions for a variety of

different spreads in furt her chapters, including worksheets for

the most soph ist icated , also, in the back of the book. So me

spreads may yield enormous amounts of detailed inform ation;

others can be used to answer a spec ific question; or, if you arc in

a big hurry, there are spreads that give quick and speedy results.

Then again, ir may boil down to personal taste and style and

wha t you feel comfortable with. Many peop le work exclusively

with the Celt ic C ross Spread and have excellent results. The

cho ice is yours.


PERMISSION IS NOW GRANTED TO REFER TO THE

OTHER CHA PTERS IN THIS BOOK. You now have a solid

foundat ion for Tarot card leading and ale on your way to becoming a h ighly skilled reader. BUI, always remember: Look III

the cards and sa, whal ,au see! Enjoy!

Celtic Cross Spread Worksheet

Dale: _

Sil:llifiC310r _

1. _

What CcNers You

2. _

What CrossesYou

3. _

Above You

.._--- - - ----- - - - - - - - -Below You

5. _

Behind You

6. _

Before You

7. _

You/the Querent

6. _

Home. Famil y, Friends. and/or Environment

9. _

Hopes and/or Fears

10. _

Outcome or Culmination

Notes and/or Observations: (eotTespondlng ftents., feelings. etc. )

II

SAMpLE READINgS fOR THE

CELT I C CROSS SpREAD

OR B U RN AN O RANGE CANDLE ANDCALL M E I N T HE M ORNIN G !

Bum an orange candle and callme in !he morning! This is th e ad

vice the High Priestess of a Long Island Wiccan coven used to

offer as a quick remedy to a stressful situation. A powerful

healer, Irene was known for her infinit e reserves of energy, her

compassionate nature, and her great cooking. She also knew

th e color orange has a soothing effect by temporarily restori ng

balance and harmony.

So when Erica called me in th e late evening, frant ic and

frustrated with her firs t attempt to give a Tarot card reading, I

th ought about recommending the High Priestess's /ix-all. But I

didn't want Erica to lose any sleep over th is, like many begin

ners (including myself) have done. So I decided to jump-starr

her with an in-depth look as to how I might interpret th is

spread.

28 THE 2- HOUR TAROT TUTOR

Erica was an aspiring dancer to whom I had given my crash

course the previous evening. She appeared confident abou t

what she had learned, but later, when she tried to give her sister

a reading, she had trouble linking the cards togethe r int o a co

hesive story.

Unfortuna tely th is is very common because the mind tend s

to quickly slip back into rational mode. A rational mind is, of

course, necessary to deal with day-to-day pract icalities, but ra

tional th ink ing interferes with Tarot card reading. which re

quires non-rhinking. The mind must be trained to go into

intuitilJe mode (that is, non-thinking mode). T he spontanei ty ex

ercise helps to make th is sh ift. That is why the fundamental

teaching must be drilled into your head. People tend to forget it

almost immediatel y and find themselves in a quand ary. Wh en

beginning a Tarot reading, remember to always retu rn to the

basic instruction: Look a l rhe cards and say what )'OU see.

Because an in-dep th ana lysisof a Tarot spread puts too much

emphasis on rhinking, it can be count er-productive. That is fur

ther evidenced by another trade secret: Adept readers are look

ing at the otoerall picture(s); they are not breaking down the

spread card-by-card, position-by-position . That would be an

obstruction to th e ent ire intuitive process.

Therefore this jump-start for Erica, along with two othe r

samples, is included with great reluctance. Please, do not de

pend on these samples. The intention is only to give you an

idea of how a spread may be interpreted by showing th e basic

mechan ics of a read ing. Peruse them once. Incorporate what

you can readily comprehend. Skim over what does not immedi

ately click. Then move forward; always cont inuing with th e ba

sic sponta neity practice: Look a l rhe cards and saywhat )'OU see.

SAMPLE READINGS FOR THE CELTIC CROSS SPREAD 29

Before we conti nue, there is one othe r issue. I have given

permission to refer to the other sections , and. yes, that does in

clude the section on Possible Meanings. I hope you did not peek

into th is section unt il afte r the basic instructi ons were faith

fully followed. Even if you have (and I know many of you have.

because that's hum an nature), I sti ll encourage you to first looka l lhe cards and say what you see before checking out my sug

gested meanings. Remember, I am teaching you how to depend

on your own int uition to read Tarot cards and how to develop

your own mean ings. I don't want you to fall back in to th e aim

less habit of looking up th e mean ing of each card. However.

some people tell me reading the cards is easier for them know

ing they have the option. But, when following these samples,

try tun ing in to your own intuitio n first. You will be amazed at

th e insights you get. And, don 't be surprised if you to tally dis

agree with my interpreta t ions. That is an excellent sign of

progress!

Referring to th e dated worksheet Erica fi lled out [See Sam

ple Celtic Cross Spread Worksheet (Erica j], lay your cards out

accordingly. Now let 's look at several detailed clues in th is

spread. Not ice on th e worksheet that key words or pithy mean

ings are given for each card. Relating to th e spread before you

and the notes on the worksheet , follow along, as I review the

mean ings of th e positions step -by-step with the cards falling

th ere in.

Erica chose the Queen of Pentacles as the significator for her

sister. A very dark -haired woman, she is th irty-eigh t years old.

In Posit ion I. This is U·hal cooers you. This represent s the at

mosphere or emotional env ironme nt in which influences are

working. Is th ere tension in th e air! Is the atmosphere relaxed


and easygoing! The 7 of Cups may indica te an atmosphe re of

fantasy. imagination , or delusion . The 5 of Wands could suggest

th at influences of man ipulation, power plays. or mind games

are opera ting in the atmosphere.

Look at the card tha t falls in Position 1, the 9 of Swords. Say

what you see. C learly th is woman is worried and distraught . She

sits up in bed, perh aps unable to sleep. This picture literally

speaks for itself. O bviously, the atmosphere is filled with lOOTTy.

Worry is a key word .

In Positi on 2, This is what crosses you. T his can represent an

obstacle or an aid. It depends on th e card. Usually, if it is a

posit ive ca rd. it is helpful. If it is a negat ive card. it means

there is an opposit ion , but not necessarily. At this point inru

i ti,,~ interpreta t ion must be incorporated. Let's look at some

possibilit ies.

Suppose it is the Queen of Wands. She may be a helpful

woman. However, th e Q ueen of Swords may be a jealous or dif

ficult woman , an opposing force. T hat's an easy example.

Here is a more complicated example. Suppose Position 2 is

a positive ca rd, 3 of C ups (friends) . However most of th e othe r

cards in the spread arc difficult. The interpreta t ion could very

possibly go both ways. Friends could be helpful , or friends

could be causing problems and int erfering. Here again. your

intui t ion must come into play; and, remember th e cop's rule of

thumb: Your fill! hunch is usually your best-and my rule of

thumb, spontaneity. Go with th e fi rst thing th at pops into your

mind!

Most of th e cards in th is spread are posit ive. But a sponta

neous impression to Justice is tha t this represents a lawyer or le

gal matter. Along with heightened intuition, life experience is

anot her asset to decipherin g Tarot cards, and my life expe rience

Sample Celtic Cross Spread Worksheet (Erica)

0 0Ie:11 1319 9

Significator O uere of Pentacles-

1. 9 of Swords worryWhat Covers You

2. lusti ce lawyerWhat CrossesYou

3. Strength det ermination is neededAboveYou

4. The Magician motivated b:r need for control and powerBelow You

5. 7 of Wands power struggleBehind You

6 . W heel of Fortune sudden Ill ck or opportunityBefore You

7. 4 of Cups dreaming or wishing for someth ing betterVoU/The Querent

8 . Knight of Cups a m essage co m es to the borneHome. Family, Friends, and/or Environment

9. 5 of pentacles fear of finan cial problemsHopes and/or Fears

10 . 8 of pentacle s new jobOutcome or Culmlnatkm

Notes and/or Observations: (corresponding events. feelings, ete.)

Wilma thought my sister would receive a lucky job offer.11-8-99 my sister received a call at home about the offer.She did not suffer any finan cial loss.


tells me th at lawyers spell troub le. Furthe rmore, Justice is pre

ceded by a difficult card. If it had been preceded by a positive

card, The Star for instance, I might say it meant good news

from a lawyer, a judge or about a legal matt er.

Nevertheless. for practical purposes th e key word need only

be lawyer, and that is what is written on the worksheet . Eventu

ally, as we proceed, th e significance of Justice (in the conte xt of

the othe r cards) will beco me clear and the key word will make

sense. T his is ano the r import ant lesson. Never belabor th e

mean ing of a card. Keep moving along with the reading. Even

tually everyth ing will fall into place. This is a good example of

how important spontane ity is. Sropping to th ink about one card

will interfere with th e psych ic fl ow.

In Position 3, This is above you. This indicates what the quer

en t is or should be aiming for in the mat ter. It is, many times.

the solution to th e issue or the answer to the problem.

Another interpretat ion is th at this foretells what will hap

pen in th e future if no further action is taken. If it is a positive

card, th e querent is on the righ t path. If it is a negati ve card.

the querent is moving in the wrong directi on and should con

sider a change.

Again , this position is subject to int erpretati on depending

on th e card. These are merely guidel ines designed to give you

some focus. Ultimately, the cards transcend the positions and yourintuitiveperception will transcend the cards . A professiona l reader

with a very large following told me how she feels the cards.

And, that is exactly what you will soon notice you are natu

rally doing; when you look a t the cards and say what you see.Keep th is in mind as you go th rough th ese sample interpreta

tions.

SAMPLE REAOINGS FOR THE CELTIC CROSS SPREAO 33

Regarding Position 3, the card of Strength speaks for itself.

The querent should strive to be strong and determined in th is

situation. Note the pithy interpretat ion written on the work

shee t. determination is needed.In Posit ion 4. This is below you. This describes the subcon

scious mot ivation of the querent or how the individual is

th ink ing. A positive card ind icat es th at one is spurred on by a

confident promptin g. A diffi cult ca rd, let's say Knight of

Swords. may mean th e querent is mot ivated by a lot of anger.

This position can also mean the underlying factor, basis, or

foundation of the matter.

I would interpret The Magician in thi s position as the quer

ent being motimted by the need for control and power.

In Position 5. This is behind you. This represents influences

th at are now passing away or th e immediate past. However,

from my experience, I have also seen th is to ind icate an intlu

ence from th e distant past. There is a teason for th is. When

read ing the Tarot, it is the subconscious mind of the querent

that comes int o play. If an issue from the long ago past is st ill

having an emotiona l effect on the querent, even if not con

sciously, it may very well come out in the reading. In fact , you

may see this happening with the entire spread, not only th is po

sition. What is on or in th e querent's mind, consciously or un

consciously, comes out in the cards. This is a very curious

phenomenon of psych ic dynamics. I will address that in more

deta il in Chapter 3.

The 7 of Wands looks like a power struggle has recently taken

place. Since it falls in the same spread with the card representing

a lawyer, my immediate response would be that there is a con

nection. The reading is start ing to make sense! Let's move on.


In Position 6, T his is before you. This describes th e future,

what will be happening soon; or, it may reflect influences th at

have recentl y come into view. The Wheel of Fortune is with

out a doubt a posit ive card and in a propiti ous placement. Itlooks as if stulden luck or opportunity will be coming in very

soon.

In Position 7, This is you. This signifies the querent and/or

the querenr's att itude in thi s situation. The 9 of C ups, the

querent is happy or pleased. The 2 of Swords, the querent is un

cella in or undecided. My sponta neous meaning to the card

that falls here, th e 4 of Cups, is dreaming or wishing for sOlnething

better.

In Position 8, This is your home, family, friends , and/or envi

ronment. I usually interpret thi s position as representing the ac

tual home, th e family or family influences, friends, and/o r, in a

general sense, th e actual material env ironment. The Empress in

thi s posit ion may mean a mother, a mother-type fi gure (a

mother-in -law or aunt, for instan ce) or a mother-to-be (preg

nant woman) comes to the home for a visit. The Knight of

C ups, in thi s position , looks as if a message comes to the hmne.

In Position 9, These are YOl<T hopes and/orfears. Tradit ion ally,

this position is interpreted as the queren t's hopes or fears relat

ing to th e issues at hand . However, I know one reader who in

terprets th e hopes or fears as being one and the same. This adds

a highly psychological slant to th is inte rpreta tion. For example,

one may be consciously hoping for success, yet unconsciously

fearin g it at the same time. Perhaps because of low self-estee m,

one feels undeserving of success and is subconsciously more

comfortable with fai lure. This complex interpretation is not

necessary, but it is certain ly food for thought. However, it may be

easier to interpret th is position as either hopes or fears. depend-


ing on the card. Here, the 5 of Pentacles, indicates to me there

is a fear of financial problems.

In Position 10, This is the outcome or culmination. This tells

how the situation will turn out in th e end. Of course, a favor

able card foretells a favorable conclusion. However, a negative

card should not be construed as all is lost. Tarot devotees be

lieve the only thing constant in life is change. If a difficult card falls

in thi s posit ion, look to Position 3 for a possible solution.

In thi s spread, the 8 of Pentacles shows a man working. My

prediction would be a new job. However, more could be added

to the interpretation of this position by combining its meaning

with the card in Position 6, which indicates th e future, In this

spread, the Wheel of Fortune (sudden luck or opportuni ty)

merged with th e 8 of Pentacles (a new job) could be stretched

to mean a lucky new job opportunity.

After reviewing the spread with Erica, I inst ructed her to

link the key words togethe r, and, while doin g th at , she would

be creating a th eme for th e reading: Worry because of a lawyer;

a recent power srruggle; th erefore, th ere is a need for conrrol; de

termination is needed to resolve thi s issue; while wishingfor some

thing better or a bette r situa tion, but also afraid of having

financial problems; a message is received bringing a lucky opportu

nity for a new job.

Instantaneously, Erica got an intuitive flash. There really was

a theme because the cards were ta lking to her. Her sister, a legal

secretary in a busy law firm, was having problems at work,

T here had been a severe power struggle with one part icularly

d ifficult lawyer. She needed a job where she had more cont rol

and had, in fact, applied for a job as an office manager. She

wished very much to be h ired for this job, since it appeared to

be a more congenia l situation. Meanwh ile, however, she was so


worried and distraught about the problems at the current job,

she was afraid of being fired and losing wages. Hence, she actu

ally had suffered several sleepless nights.

I told Erica my predic tion was th at her sister would indeed be

hired for th e job she want ed and would get a c.~11 at home in a

few days. Erica noted th is on th e worksheet . A few days later,

her sister was called at home and offered th e job. Erica also

noted the outcome of these tum of events on the worksheet.

Once again I reminded Erica. as I am reminding you. to always

refer back to th e basic exercise: Look at rite cards and say u,hat

you see. A technical analysis of a spread is really nor as important asmaking a connection with rite cards rhemsel,,,s. The next sample is

an excellent example of this.

This spread was presented to me by TIna. A student at a col

lege in Co lorado, she was entering her sophomore year. Over

the summer she had given this reading to her cousin's friend

Brian . It is very significant because it shows how you can look

at the overall spread and get an instant impression with out go

ing th rough it card-by-card. Remember th e trade secret: Professional readers are looking at the "''frail picture(s): they are nor

breakingdown the spread card-Iry-card , position-Iry-position.

TIna had been prac ticing diligently with the cards. She as

sured me she had followed my instructions to the r. However.

when she gave this reading, something unusual happened. By

following my inst ructions of looking at the cards. she suddenly

got a rush of impressions. She felt tntlled in by the cards, and no

ticed how intense and fixed her concent ration was. Wisely,

TIna relaxed, let the energy flow and followed her hunches.

The impressions from the cards were so strong, she naturally ,without even realizing it, began disregarding th e posit ions in

which th ey fell. Instead, she went on simply saying what she


was seeing in the cards. It was as if she felt an invisible force

lead ing her along. TIna called me for feedback and explained

what she had done. Referring to the worksheet she fi lled out

[See Sample Ce ltic Cross Spread Worksheet (Tlnaj ], lay the

cards out accordingly and follow along.

A quick overview of all the cards gave TIna some contradic

tory information. The Lovers crossed the querent . That should

be good. But, the fi ve diffic ult cards in the spread struck her as

not so good. TIna's intui tion told her someth ing wasn' t right.

Her fi rst insight was a love problem. But The World and The

Sun also caught her eye. These spoke to her about travel to

someplace warm and sunny. She then focused on th e 4 of

Swords and th e 2 of Swords. These appeared to indicate sleep

ing on an issue (4 of Swords) and being tom apart (2 of

Swords). The similarity between The Lovers and The Devil

was another indicator. In The Devil, TIna saw a bad version of

The Lovers. The Devil is followed by the 5 of Swords, a fight .

And, the 8 of Swords looked like Brian may have felt a restric

tion.

Keep in mind. all of this information was rushing to TIna

quickly. She really was, at that moment, feeling the cards, not

thinking about them .

TIna decided to stick with th e love th eme, which jumped

right at her. The second th eme th at hit her was the travel

theme. and th ere was no denying anxiety and stress were visi

ble in th e cards. Tying all this to The Chariot, TIna felt th at

Brian wanted to get moving on something.

Here's her inte rpretation. Brian felt restr icted and rom apart

in a relat ionship. He was trying to sort it out. There was a nasty

argument with a love interest. He was very angry. He really

wanted freedom (The Fool ). TIna concluded th at in the future


he was going to travel to a warm and sunny climate, perhaps

Ca lifornia. TIna couldn't fi gure out what travel had to do with

the love problem. But she followed he r spontaneous feelings.

Brian confirmed the reading. He told TIna he wanted adven

ture , and had been thinking about traveling to Ca lifornia. But

h is girlfriend wanted to stay on the East Coas t. He began to feel

restricted in this relationship, and couldn't decide what to do.

Then th ey had a huge argument. That made his decision for

him . He broke off th e relationship and was en route to the

West Coas t.

TIna was uncomfortable about how she had done thi s. It cer

tainly was an unfamiliar feeling. But I explained to her th at, re

gardless of how it felt, it was co rrect. She had really given a

psychic Tarot card reading! This is what happens when you go

for th e overall picrurel s) . You begin to feel the cards, and they

convey th eir messages to you on a subconscious level.

TIna had learned a very important lesson. There really are

no formulas for reading Tarot cards. There arc guidelines; your

feelings, however, are going to be your strongest guide. Reading

Tarot cards is an intuitive art. not a mathematical equation.

Remember, when you look at the cards , you arc getting a feeUnginstantly. T he images evoke a response in th e subconscious

mind. There is a spontaneous reac tion. That is why I enco urage

you to immediately say whal you see.Another aspect TIna learned was that of fixed concenrra

tion . TIna felt as if the cards were pulling her in. This is what

happens when you are making a psychic connection with the

cards: and it is easily accomplished by simply looking at the cards.You will probably be aware of this even in the initial learn ing

stages. Stay connected and go with the flow.

, bad ....,irljon<b;p7. Th:. !&vi IYoU/T'he Querenl

6. Tk. SYnBefore You

s, f3 ef c"""rd<;Behind You

• . 2 of SnM*Below You

8. 5 of yrd< an qY@'rytrJt±Home. Family, Friends. and/ or EnvIronment

3. 4 of S""d <...... you

9. Th:. fiioIHopes and/or Fears

Sample Celtic Cross Spread Worksh eet (Tina)

Date: Jv l~ ';l 2000

Significa tor Kn~bt ef Wind<

2. 1k r..""",ycWhat Crosses You

1. Th:. o",riotWhat Covers You

10 . Th:. Wpyfd irp....JOutcome or Culmination

Notes and/or Observations: (corresponding fNents., feelings. etc.)

Bro. b>d J<N~ ,bcvt , ~m<-ti"& rr.I>tiofl(h;p. It<- •...J h~

~fYia'.d b>d •••~/I'C.flf •...J M>Icc:. "p. 13Yi..~ hc:.adc:.d f0rth:. ~t~t.


In Cha pter 3 unde r the quest ion, How exactly doTarol cards

work!, I writ e about how the cards serve as a focusing tool for

harnessing psych ic ene rgy. After reading Tarot cards for so

many years, I am able to focus as soon as th e first card is placed

down, I immediately go with my feelings; and, the refore, I in

stantly lock into psychic mode. I keep this focus as I quickly lay

th e cards out. T he ability to focus instantly is a key to giving a

psychic Tarot reading. Liken th is to th reading a needle. That is

the ha rd pan. However, once the needle is threaded, the

sewing is easy. It's the same th ing when making a psychic con

nection with the Tarot cards. You are threading the psychicnee

die. Once the connec tion is made, the reading is easy. TIna is

definite ly on the right track!

O the r interpretat ions could be drawn from this spread. And

they'd all be accurate. That's what is so intriguing about these

cards. It's what you, the reader, see in them. That is why I in

struct you to look at the cards and say whal you see.This is ano the r sample example. This read ing was given by

Brenda n, a web site designer, to h is mother. Brendan con

fessed he had glance d at the sec t ion on Possible Meanings before fi n ishing the instructi ons in The Firs! 2 Hours. However,

he had slill tak en th e t ime to learn the basic technique of

loo king at the cards. So I forgave h im for th is indiscreti on. He

also told me tha t he disagreed with many of my int erpreta

t ions and had quickly come up with some of h is own mean

ings. That is high ly acceptable and hi s readi ng was high ly

accurate . Refer to hi s worksheet , and lay the cards a lit accord

ing ly. T hen follow along as Bren dan exp lained h is on- ta rget

interp retation .

ignificaror-e-Queen of Wands: Brend an saw his mother as

an indus trious en trepreneur,

SAMPLE REAOINGS FOR THE CELTIC CROSS SPREAO 41

Posit ion 1- 10 of Wands: Bren dan's mother was over

whelmed with responsibility. Th is is a matte r of which Brendan

was already aware.

Position 2- The Empress: Brendan's mother was taking care

of her mother, Brend an 's grandmother, who had been very ill.

Brendan knew this, too . It played into the overwhelming reo

sponsibility put upon h is mother.

Posit ion 3-2 of Cups: Bren dan's parents had divorced two

years ago. His mot he r was seeing a man who wanted to marry

her, but she felt she wasn't ready yet. Based on the ca rd, Bren

dan cou ld see that this relat ionsh ip did make h is mother

happy. He also suggested that marr iage wou ld be a good move

for her.

Posit ion 4- The Hanged Man : Brendan's mot her was giving

up a lot of her time to care for h is grandmot he r. Unt il the read

ing, Brendan had not been aware of how much h is mot her had

reall y been sacrifi cing for the care of her own mot her. This is

someth ing Brendan's mother kept to herself. Here, the reading

was revealing unknown information.

Position 5- The Knight of Swords: O ne week ago, his

mother's car had broken down.

Position 6-9 of Pentacles: Brendan's mother was a shapa.

halic. She firmlv believed when the going gets lough, the rough go

shapping. Brendan predicted a shopping spree coming up soon.

Posit ion 7- 5 of Wands: Brendan pred icted h is mot her

would be start ing an exercise program, someth ing she had

never before done. She admitted to look ing into gyms and ex

ercise studios, Th is was a very big piece of surprise infonn at ion

from the reading. But Brendan had followed the golden rule and

read what he saw in th e card, and by doing so he learned a valu

able lesson. You never know what you will see in the cards


Significator OM"" of W0"J,S

when giving someone else a readin g. Do not presume you al

ready know what is going on in th at person's life. You really

don 't. That is why it is important to look at the cards and say

what you see, not what you think can or cannot happen.

Position 8--Page of Swords: Brendan saw th is card as his

youn ger sister, Julie, who had been living in an apartment near

the local college she attended. Impulsive and temperament al,

Julie was a handful. His mother had been relieved when Julie

moved out. But now Brendan saw Julie in his mother's home.

How could th at be? Here again, Brendan went with what he

saw in the cards. His mother then informed him with dismay

th at Julie was moving back home. Another unexpected revela

tion from the cards!

Position 9-5 of Pentacles: His mother was worried about

money. This made sense. His ailing grandmothe r and th e cost

of repairin g th e car was causing understandable financial dis

tress.

Position IO-Queen of Cups: Brendan predicted along with

h is mother's imminent shopping spree th at she would get a new

hairstyle and makeover. H is mother confirmed; she had been

thi nking of doing that , too.

Brendan gave his mother a great reading. He looked at the

cards, followed his intuition , and, despite my admonishment,

got a bit of a boost by looking up some of the meanings. All

th at matters is the end result. It worked.

And if these sample readings don't work for you, burn an or

ange candle and e-1lUli1me in the morning! My e-mail address is

provided at the end of Chap ter 3.

c2\ s<"crjJiee

'" he t" !omiT style

6' C",r rroh1 eIM

9. 5" O-P pe"t-md esHopesand/or Fears

5. k'distni: ".p <JuorAsBehind You

7. 5" oOP \'!<2I"'J,S

You/'TheQuerent

6. .., c£ pe\1t0desBefore You

8. Pc2\~e o£ $\NOytAS IMBe is i" the bOlMe

Home, Family, Friends, ancVOf Environment

3. 2 o.c at'S MO",", $\""0"":1 ser lMG"a j eJ, ",smi..Above You

Sample Celtic Cross Spread Worksheet (Brendan)

4 . The H0 "seJ, \1",,,,

BelowYou

Date: In.Uaz.

2. :doe ElMpress ""0"'" is t",ki"~ C0!' of 9 [ ",)) o' IMO"'"What Crosses You

1. Ia".c ""<",,, rAs MOIM is m teys"lo el"", etA 'NiH" ye SpO'aSu,iJiJ=yWhat Covers You

10. Q II"" ".p Cli pSOutcome or Culmination

Notes8nd/or Obsef\latJons: (corresponding events, feelings, etc.)

1-\0"" 'oo,,~hr so""e "ew clol-hes, ~or "I h",i, c" r ",,,J,"""I<eove', J,yeJ, h",i, 'o10"J" ",,,J, joi,,e J, "I ~y",,-

III

ARE W E H A VI N <;j fUN YET?

Q UESTI ONS, ANSW ERS, TRO UBLESH OOTING,AN D FINET U NIN G

Janet was terrified. It was midnigh t when she called . She was

scared to death!

Having graduated from college two years ago, she had a great

job at an ln rernet company and appreciated th e security of a

steady paych eck. But Janet passion atel y wanted 10 pursue a ca

reer in acting, and was 10m between practical ity and starry-eyed

ambitions. Meanwhil e she cha nneled her creative energies in to

studyi ng the Tarot .

She whispered in a fearful voice: "Why does the Death cardkeep coming up in my praaice readings' "

No need for alarm, I assured her. It is a very curious and corn

mon phenomenon that many people experience Juring the

early phases of working with Tarot cards. While pract icing on

yourself, in many of th ese spreads. the Death card will keep ap

pearing over and over again. I remember th is happening to me

countless rimes; and, since it was often late at n ight. I was


spooked! But th e Death card is really considered a positi'" card;

and. 1 believe its frequ ent appearance in these in itial practi ce

readings also has quite positive indications.

Let 's take a close look at the Death card. Pull it out of the

deck. l..nok at the can! and say what JOl t see. A skeleton rides on a

while horse. He is greeted by an official-looking man (a priest or

bishop. perhaps) bearing gifts. The sun rises in the background.

These elements of the symbolism can be construed as auspi

cious. int ending to convey a spiriUlal connotation . It is the

name of the card. Death. that terrifies people. But since the

symbolism has a spiritua l implication. th is Taro t ca rd bespeaks

of a spiritual death and tha t tends to play out as a psycho logical

transformat ion.

A spiritua l deat h is really a rebirth or an awaken ing to a new

consciousness or awareness. H owever it requires a letting..go or a

releasing of tha t wh ich no longer works in our lives and im

pedes our growth; and th at is the death (figumtively speaking)

of the old. the worn out. and the useless. In order to move for

ward we must let go of what is no longer needed in our lives; we

must clear away all the debris. To use a common expression . we

must cut off the dead wood.

Fear of deat h . tha t is the actual death of the physical body.

comes from the un certainty about where we will go after death.

Therefore . the noti on of a spiritual death evokes the exact same

fear; and this fear plays out in many aspec ts of our lives. Thus

we hold on to many unnecessary things in our lives because of

the fear of what life wou ld be like without th em. We tell our

selves we need these things for our surviva l; th at our survival

depends on keeping those things in our lives which hould re

ally be discarded. Because of our fear of the unknown. we can-

ARE WE HAVING FUN YET? 47

vince ourselves we cannot live without that which has grown

obsolete.

Th ink about all the decaying things in you r life that you

clu ng to while all the t ime believing that you r life would be in

complete without them: friends (you may have outgrown ). a

(bad) love relat ionsh ip or a (bad) marriage. a job. rigid political

or rel igious beliefs. even hobbies or interests. Eventually and re

luctantly you had to let go of them. Perhaps you. yourself. fi

nally realized it . Or perhaps they were even taken from you.

Regardless of the circumstances. the process of letting go could

have been frigh tening because the re was an uncertainty about

what would happen or what life would be like without them.

This is why even a spiritual death can be qu ite difficult.

But once there is a release. the way is clea red for newness to

enter your life. Many people report feeling ligh t and free once

the unnecessary has been released . That is why peop le who go

through a rel igious transform ation say they have been reborn. A

spiritual death. which is really a spiritual rebirth. is a renewa l.

With a spiritual rebirth comes an awaken ing. a whole new con

sc iousness, a new awareness, an enlighte nment.

So the Death card is not the card of physical death; but

rather it symbo lizes the death of th e old. the worn-out. or th e

useless. Look closely at the card again. A while horse; white is

the color of spiritual purity and innocence. T he rising (not setting) sun tells of a new dawn ing day. bringing with it new be

ginnings. new directions. a whole new cycle of one's life.

Al though the lett ing-go may have been uncomfortable, the

way now becomes cleared for new opportunit ies to enter our

lives. When a door closes. a window opens.The Tarot opens the gate to new spiritual horizons. When

4 8 THE 2 - HOUR TAROT TUTOR

you begin work ing with the Tarot , your int uit ion begins to de

velop; and, along with that, you will begin to experience a new

spiriwaJ awareness or consciousness. This moves you into a new

cycle of your life. Hence, th e Death card, symbolizing th is new

consc iousness and moving into a new cycle of your life, may

frequen tly pop up in these very first practice read ings.

The thirteenth card of th e Tarot deck is a powerful card tha t

imparts a profound esoteric insight th rough its symbolism: O ut

with the old and in with the new.

How sho uld I read inverted/reve rsed upside down cards? All

the standard books give two meanings for each card. One

meaning, if th e card falls right-side-up: anothe r, if th e card falls

upside down. The reversed meanings are negative. You ate then

instructed to memorize both of these meanings. However. re

member my way of doing thi ngs does not involve memorizing

meanings. So when it comes to reversed cards I. as well as many

othe r professional readers I know, do not read them any differ

ently! 1have two reasons for th is.

First: Trying to interpret a card by giving it a reversed mean

ing forces you to pause and think, and th at inte rferes with

sponta neity and the flow of psychic impressions. Remember

the profession al reader who told me, she feels the cards? You

cannot feel the cards if you are trying to thi nk about a mean

ing.

Second: There are already difficult ca rds in th e deck that

can indicate severe cha llenges. For example, th e suit of Swords,

The Tower, and The Devil. I, therefore, see no necessity for in

terpret ing cards in a reversed manner (with a negative mean

ing) if th ere are already cards to indicate negative influences.

Suppose th e 10 of Swords is reversed?Some people th ink th is is


th e worst card in the deck. How can you make the inte rpreta

tion of th e worst card worse? My opinion is th at the negative

cards speak for themselves by turning up in the spread, regard

less of th e way th ey fall.

Again you are going to have to decide for yourself how you

want to deal with th is. Your personal style! Tarot card reading is

an art: you are now the art ist. But I th ink trying to interpret re

versed cards d ifferently will cause confusion. I can assure you as

long as you cont inue with the basic exercise: Look tU the cardsand SlrJ what you see, each card will talk to you any which way it

falls.

Why is the querent supposed to cut the deck with the left

hand? This is a ritual th at 1believe to be nothing more th an a

Gypsy superst it ion. Esoterically speaking, th e unconscious

mind is symbolized by th e left hand , while the conscious mind

is symbolized by the right hand . This distincti on is clearly ap

plied to palm reading. The left hand tells what the individual is

born with (the unconscious mind). The right hand tells what

one will (con sciously) do with these inherent qualities. Hence,

logist ically, the left hand is the passive hand and the right hand

is th e dominant active hand . (O f course, thi s is reversed if

someone is left -handed.) So I assume, since a Tarot card read

ing involves connecti ng with th e subconscious mind, th is most

likely explains the origin of this ritual.

While it does serve to set th e mystical tone associated with a

Tarot card readin g, there is no magical power afforded by this

observance. If the querent accidenrally uses th e right hand to

cut or even ClltS the deck to the right instead of the left, it will

not affect th e read ing in any way. I have seen th is happen man y

times, when I am giving a read ing. It is, in my opinion, no big


deal. And since, acco rding to metaphysicians, nothing ever happens by accident, I th ink maybe there is a reason for th is minor

error. Remember the Tarot is an intuitive medium and it is us

ing the intuition th at gives good results.

Although I overlook a mistake in the cutt ing of th e deck, I

might add there are two things I do insist on. O ne is that the

cards are cut into three piles. Nor two, not four, but three piles

exac tly. And afte r the deck has been cut, I insist th at the quer

ent does not touch them for any reason . I am the one who picks

them up. I realize there is no magic involved here eithe r, but it's

my person al style!

Wh at if the querent is left-hand ed? There are those who say if

th e querent is left-handed, th e cut shou ld be made with the

right hand and the reader sho uld pick up th e cards with the left

hand . In othe r words, the ent ire ritual should be reversed. Per

sona lly I find th is to be too confusing and cumbersome to dea l

with . I like th ings to be simple. I believe simplicity will facili

tate th e flow of positive energy and int uition . So I keep the rit

ual rhe same, regardless of wheth er or not someone is right- or

left-handed. Again what you do is your decision. Your person al

style.

What do you mean when you say, "Shuffle the cards until

they feel right"? The shuffling, in genera l, gives th e querent an

opportun ity to develop a rappo rt with th e cards and to put her

personal dbrations into them. By asking th e querent to shuffle

th e cards until they feel right, you are further enco uraging her to

focus on the cards and to make a connec t ion with them on a

feeling or vibrational leve!' This makes it easier for the reader to

ARE WE HAVIN G FUN YET? 5 1

intuitively tune in to the querent (as well as th e cards) and give

a more effect ive reading. When giving a Tarot readin g, you are

working with energies and vibra tions. So a mutual tune-in by

bot h th e querent and the reader greatly facilitates the flow of

psych ic ene rgy.

Is it true th at some readers will not allow anyone else to

touch their ca rds? I have heard thi s, but never seen it. Rumor

has it th ere are some readers who will not allow anyone else to

touch their cards in an atte mpt to keep them totally free of

negative vibrations. Instead of ha ving the querent shuffle the

cards, the Tarot reader will shuffle th e cards and concentrate on

the querent, If the reader's conce ntration is good, th e results

will be also.

In some instances, if a reader feels that someone who has

come for a consultat ion is emitt ing negative energy, the reader

may, in that case, choose nor to let th e querenr handle her

cards in order to protect th em.

I have always viewed my cards as user-friendly. In fact, I

rath er Uke the querent putting her vibrat ions into my cards. It

helps me with the tun e-in . Here again, th is is going to be your

personal cho ice. Experiment to see what works for you.

If at any time you feel your cards are overly saturated with

unwanted vibes, you can cleanse th em by passing th em through

incense smoke. A classic occult form ula is th e combina tion of

frankincense and asafoet ida. Frankincense is for purifying nega

tive energies. It has a pleasant aroma. Asafoetida is for cleansingnegative energies. It is malodorous! Together the odor is po

tent . You'll have to look for these in a specia lty shop, and they

must be burned on a small piece of a special type of charcoa l


and in an incense burner. A specia lty shop will be able 10 pro

vide you with all the necessary equipment, However, you really

need not go 10 such an extreme. Any standard joss st ick in

cense will do the job quite effectively.

Do Tarot cards requ ire special care? Tarot cards should be ac

corded th e same care and respect given to any sacred objec t or

prayer book. Traditionally th ey are supposed 10 be wrapped in

silk and stored in a wooden box th at is placed high on a she lf.

Silk insulates against unwanted spirilual vibrat ions. The cus

rornarv colors for th e silk cloth are eithe r black or purple. Un

fortunately, black has got ten a bad rap and is often associated

with evil or th e black arts. This is an unfounded misconception

because black is really a very spiritual color. Members of the

clergy such as priests, monks, and nuns wear black . As for pur

ple. it has always been associated with spirituality and used ec

clesiastically.

The wooden box protects against undesirable earrhly vibra

tions. By placing th e box high on a shelf, it is symbolic of heav

enlv elevation.

I believe. however. tha t you can store Tarot cards any way you

want as long as you care for them with reverence. I keep one

deck wrapped in a red satin scarf and secured in a wooden box

bearing a carving of an owl (a wise old owl); and another deck

wrapped in a cloth scarf th at has a very special meaning to me.

It is also customary to spread the silk cloth on th e tab le and

place the cards on it when giving the reading. Al th ough this is

another practice I , personally, have never felt to be necessary.

you can incorporate this aspect in accordance with your own

individual taste .


Should I sleep with Tarot cards und er my pillow? This is an

othe r traditi onal suggestion I have read about, and was also rec

ommended 10 me by a friend many years ago. Theoretically thi s

may bridge a link between the cards and th e deep subconscious

mind.

My friend told me of a bizarre experience she had one night .

Routinely in th e habit of spreading th e cards out under her pil

low while sleeping, she had disturbing nightmares one parricu

lar night . he awoke to find The Devil had surfaced 10 the top!

I tried thi s practice myself. But, since I am such a restless

sleeper, the cards did nothing more than get in th e way of my

constant tossing and turning. Hence I made no more attempts

at this uncomfortable experiment.

You might try selecting only one card that you especially like

and sleeping on that 10 see what happens. This is ano ther pro

cedu re you will have 10 test for yourself.

What is the Tarot (or Tarot cards) ? The Tarot, pronounced

raro, is a deck of seventy-eight cards containing symbols from

man y ancient cultures. Today it is commonly used for divina

t ion or fortune-telling.

The deck is divided into two pans: the Major Arcana (or

Major Trumps) and the Minor Arcana (or Minor Trumps). The

Major Arcana consists of twen ty-two cards. The remain ing

fifty-six cards make up the Minor Arcana. which is divided into

four suits: Pentacles, C ups, Wands. and Swords. These suits

correspond 10 the four elements-s-earth, water. fi re, and air

which the anc ients believed made up the world. Each suit has

an ace, king, quee n, knight . and page as well as numbered cards

from two 10 ten .

,


Where do Tarot cards come fro m? The history of th e Tarot is

vague and unclear. There are count less theories; and for every

one theory th ere are at least two counter-theories disproving it.

Some sources say Tarot cards origina ted in Chi na, others say

Egypt, and still othe rs say the ir roots are in India. Yet the firsr

clear historical references say the cards appeared in Europe

around the fourteenth century as a game known as Tarrochi. Itis ironically th is classical deck th at has remained relatively un

changed for more than six hundred years!

Most likely th e Major A rcana began develop ing firs t and

gradually evolved over a period of cent uries into th e twenty

two Major Trumps. One popular theory is that they might be

the very earliest recordings of myths, fables, and significant his

torical events . In the beginnings of civilization, these accounts

were handed down orally, but event ually they were put into

pictor ial form.

Indeed many of these Major Trumps are clearly remini scent

of biblical stories. For instance The Lovers appears to me to be

the depiction of th e story of Adam and Eve; The Tower, an ob

vious illustration of the Tower of Babel; and The Han ged Man

is suggestive of the crucifixion.

The Hermit reminds me of Diogenes, th e Greek philosopher

and ascetic, who is th ought to have lived from roughly 412 B.C.

to 323 B.C. Diogenes is the subject of numerous apoc ryphal sto

ries. His endless search for an honest man was supposedly con

ducted in broad daylight with a lighted lantern! Note the

uncanny resemblance of that legendary image to the card it

self.

Another popular theory about the Major Arcana tells of the

spiritual leaders of many countries and cultures gathe ring to

gether in Fez (once a province of Morocco) around the year


1200 , somerime after the great library at Alexandria in Egypt

was destroyed. Their object ive was to preserve esoteric teach

ings, but in order to do so they had to bridge the language bar

rier. Since in ancient times most people did not read or write,

symbols were used instead of words to convey information .

Thus a common language of symbols (based on mystical sym

bols taken from many cultures) was developed and put onto

cards; while the key was to remain a secret knowledge that was

exclusively transmitted by word of mouth from one generation

to the next.

There has always been speculation that the Gypsies brought

th e cards into Europe. Here is a perfect example of an espoused

theory with a valid counter-theo ry disproving it. In th is in

stance, historical fact easily proves th e cards were in Europe

before the Gypsies, who may have arrived around the late four

teent h cent ury or early fifteenth cent ury. However, the Gypsies

probably were the fi rst to start using them for divination in or

der to earn their livings.

It wasn't unt il the eighteent h centu ry that a French writer,

Antoine Co urt de Gebelin, noted the cards' mystical symbol

ogv , Soon after he wrote about it, many ot her occult writers fol

lowed suit and began touting th e immense repository of

esote ric knowledge contained in th e imagery.

It is said that the symbolism in Tarot cards conta ins hidden

truths about the fundamental laws of the universe and the mys

ter ious wisdom found in the forces underlying the cosmos. The

pictorial representations illustrate the steps of th e soul's pro

gression through spiritual growth . As consciousness unfolds,

th e Tarot subtly discloses its secrets.

Often described as the ultimate Rorschach test, what we see in

th e cards is merely a reflect ion of our own inner psyches.


Therefore by using the Tarot in a pract ical manner. as a tool for

for tune-te lling, the subconsc ious mind easily connec ts on an

intuitive level with the cards' en lighteni ng doctrine.

Is there any connection between Ta rot ca rds and playing

cards? The structure of playing cards is very similar to that of

Tarot cards. exce pt that playing cards do not have a kni ght. and

a jack takes the place of a page. The suits of playing cards-s-di

arnonds, hearts. clubs. and spades-s-corre pond with the Tarot

suits of Pentacles. C ups. Wands. and Swords respect ively; and,

the playing cards' joker is an obvious offshoot of the Tarot

cards' Fool (or vice versa).

As for the history of playing cards, it is equally as vague as

that of Tarot cards. So me h isto rians think that playing cards

may have come from China or Korea. At some point they were

combined with the Major A rcana and fashioned int o the Tar

rochi deck.

However ot he r scho lars believe that playing cards are actu

ally the offspring of the original seventy -eigh t Tarot cards.

T hu s the age-o ld question "Which came first: the chicken ar the

egg!" rem ains unanswered.

What is the difference between th e Major Arcan a and the

Minor Arcan a? It is said that the Major Arcana dea ls with spir

itua l or psych ological changes or internal conflicts, wh ile the

Minor Arcan a is indicat ive of daily act ivities, mundane events .

externa l influences, and/or people.

However, my experience has been that these distinctions

can be interpreted interchangeably. I have seen the Major Ar

cana represent peop le and outside influences , and I have seen

the Minor Arcana indicate internal psychological changes.


The int erp retations are always ultim ately subject to the intu

ition of the reader.

What do the four suits of the Tarot mean ? Traditionally, Pen

tacles indicate issues dealing with money. business, and finan

cial and mate rial matters. Cups represent issues of love,

romance, friendship, happiness. emotion, and relat ionsh ips.

Wands sign ify dynamic energy, enterprise, creat ion , agriculture.

and work. Swords are interpreted as aggression, strife. stress,

tension, and sometimes violence.

For easy reference:

Pentacles (Diamonds) Earth Money

Cups (Hearts) Water Love

Wands (Clubs) Fire Work

Swords (Spades) Air Strife

Sh ould th e querent concentrate on a speci fic qu estion when

shuffling? There are some Tarot writers who give this as a stan

dard recommendat ion. The queren t is asked to concentrate on

or hold a specific quest ion in mind when shuffl ing the ca rds.

However I have always fou nd it more effect ive to follow a dif

ferent procedure.

First. I ask the querent to clear her mind . When one is re

laxed, ene rgies tend to fl ow more smoo th ly. If one is anxious,

energies can bott le up. Think ing too hard about a specifi c ques

t ion may create interfering tensions. If I sense the querent is

too nervous, I suggest she take a few deep breaths before I begin

deal ing out the cards.

By the way, if nervousness and tension are too great , I may

not even continue with the reading because the anxieties

I I


would produce a great barrier. I th erefore ask th e querent 10

reschedule the appoint ment. I know several othe r successful

professionals who follow th is practice also.

Assuming the emotiona l state of the querenr is conducive 10

giving a reading, I prefer 10 initially see what comes out. (Sev

eral of my colleagues also agree with th is course, I might add .)

So I begin by throwing one 10 th ree different spreads. Many

times the answer 10 the questi on the querent is looking for

comes out then. A nd , since it is a spontaneous response, unfet

tered by any preprogrammed thinking on my part as a reader, it

is usually quite an accurate psychi c insight .

Besides, life's issues are sometimes so complex th at there

could be many conditions affect ing the querent 's concern that

aren 't even real ized . By giving an impartial answer, many of

these othe r factors can be intuit ively picked up, too.

So my fi rst recommendation is 10 candidly see what comes

out. However, there are advanced spreads in Chapter 5 that can

be used to answer a specific ques t ion. O r you can even use the

basic Celt ic Cross Spread for a specific quest ion. These are

some more th ings you are going 10 have to experiment with

yourself, 10 see what works. No matter which spreads you use,

you will get insightful information as long as you look at the

cards and say what you see.

Ca n a yes or no qu est ion be answered with the Ta rot? There

are spreads in Chapter 5 th at can be used 10 answer a yes or no

question. Again, because there are so many complex factors en

tering into a partic ular situat ion, and because life's issues are

rarely clea r, cur-and-dry, I do not always fi nd these spreads 10 be

effect ive, particularly, as I have mentioned, when th ere is a

strong emotional investment in a given matter,


There are times when the cards will not directly answer the

quest ion being asked, but instead will give an indirect answer

because th ere are unknown influences affect ing the issue. It is

st ill important to take note of the cards appearing in the spread

because messages aTe always coming through , even if it is not one

you are looking for.

Some of my colleagues have reported remark able success us

ing Tarot cards to answer yes or no questions . This is someth ing

else you will have to experiment with to see what works for you.

One piece of advice: If you try these spreads, the clearer thequestion. the clearer the answer. A muddled question yields a

muddled answer. Try to phrase the question succinct ly in eigh t

words or less, and ask the cards on ly one question at a time. By

the way, the question can be asked verbally (out loud), or the

querent can silently th ink about it to herself.

Can all qu est ions be answered with the Tarot? The late Eden

Gray, one of th e foremost Tarot aut horit ies of the twentieth

century, maintain ed th at any question could be answered with

Tarot cards and insisted on their "unfailing accuracy." Lynn M.

Buess in his book, The Tarot and Transfonnation, agrees. "A

Tarot reading can be extrao rdi narily accurate and detailed,"

writes Buess, But, he goes on to write, "The re are times, how

ever, when a reading is genera l, garbled and seems extremely

confusing." My expe rience is consistent with Buess's fi ndi ngs.

At times, a reading is unbe lievably lucid, but clarity is not the

case with every reading. And, after nearly four decades of peer

ing into the futu re, I have come 10 the conclusion that with

any form of d ivination , there are infinite possibilities as well as

frustrating limitat ions.

I have previously mentioned the overwhelming influence of


th e emotional sta te of th e querent , If th e querent is anxio us or

has a strong emotiona l investment in a matt er, th e clarity of

the reading will be greatly affected. And th is is what factors

into the greatest and most frustrat ing limitation with Tarot

cards.

Dion Fortune writes in Pracrical Occulrism in Daily Ufe:"Anyon e with practi cal experience of seership knows that to

try to obtain enligh tenment by psych ic means conce rn ing any

matter in which one has a strong emotiona l bias is seldom satis

factory, for the bias vitiates th e results to such a degree th at

they may prove most misleading .. . for th e strong emotion in

the mind of th e querent is very apt to influence th e psychic un

consciously, so th at the results obtained may either be colored

by desire, or, if th e influence is unconsciously resisted, may lean

to th e other extreme." T h is kind of confusion is most not ice

ably evident with romanti c issues!

Some of the most amazing insights I have had with the cards

have been while reading at part ies and specia l events. Perhaps

it is because th e guests are not looking for anyth ing in particu

lar and are completely relaxed . This is quite the contrary, when

someone comes in for a private consultation. At tha t t ime,

there is usually a high level of antic ipat ion.

But you have asked me abo ut any question; to whic h I an

swer, not everything is given to us. After all, we are only humans:

and perhaps not supposed to know everything . By divining we

are tryin g to intercept th e Universal Mind, and this is not as

easy as it seems. Cos mic tools, such as Tarot cards, astrology,

numerology, and palm istry, give us a connection between time

and space and provide us with eno rmous amounts of informa

tion. But, there are some things th at are not in our hand s and

ARE WE HAVING FUN YET? 6 1

are none of our business. Case in point, questions about death

or illness. These are strictly .oerboten!If ever I am asked when someone will die, my answer is,

"O nly God knows that ." I also avoid diagnostic questions about

health because I th ink it is irresponsible and uneth ical for a

psychic to answer them. My response is, "I'm not a doctor."

However sometimes certai n taboo topics do come our unex

pectedly-especially when no one is looking for them ! This

anomaly supports th e theory of emotiona l investment. I talk

about th is in Chapter 6, along with an unusual question I was

asked to answer with Tarot cards when appearing on U''f!WithRegis on Halloween of 2000. Regis asked me, "Who would win

the presidential electi on ?" It was an odd question to ask with

the Tarot but the cards came th rough, proving th at the possi

biliti es can be infin ite.

Regardless of the questions you ask or th e spreads you use,

keep in mind the true purpose of divination as described by

Dion Fortune: "A divi nation sho uld be regarded as a weather

vane which shows which way th e winds of the invisible forces

are blowing: but it should always be remembered that a

weather-vane is not meant to determine th e course tha t a ship

is to take: it merely indicates how best to trim the sails."

Is there a way to time events with Tarot cards? One of the

difficult ies enco untered with Tarot cards and other fonns of

psychic divination is the timing of events . When reading th e

Tarot, we tune into the astral level. This is a highe r dimen

sional plane commonly known as the fourth dimension. Accord

ing to Swami Vishnudevananda, in h is book The CompletelUu.s rroted Book of Y"&,,, "all extrasensory perception and th ese


so-called unexplained mysteries are the func tions of the astra l

body in a h igher dimensional place." Time and space (as we

perceive it) are tra nscended on the astral level, making it diffi.

cult to determine the riming of events.

Many old- time readers used to sayan event will take place in

three days. three weeks, or th ree months beca use of rhe impos

sibility of psychi cally zeroing in on timi ng. In fact , there is a

very old psych ic joke: Leare the timing [0 George. George was a

make-believe cha racte r invented by old occultists. ince they

couldn't deal with tim ing, they used to say George would take

care of it.

However, here are some technical guide lines that you may

find helpful. Use them in conju nct ion with your int uiti on . But

keep in mind that these guidelines are not laws. So you can be

flexible with them .

• The four suits of the Tarot can represent measures of time:

Pentacl es-years; Cups-days or weeks; Wands-months;

Swords-hours or days.

• The Ace of Pentacles could be interpreted as approxi

mately one year; th e Ace of Wands, one month; the Ace of

C ups, one day or one week; the Ace of Swords, on hou r or

one day.

• T he Major Trum p cards usually indicat e an event or situa

tion taking place immediately.

• The Minor Trumps may represent less immedi ate events

or events furrhe r into the future.

• Man y modem readers, myself incl uded, can be more pre

cise with t iming by using a combination of astrology and nu-


merology. These are more grounded esote ric sciences and I

have exce llent results with this blend.

With astro logy, the phases of the moon are very important,

Observation of these lunar phases can be easily incorporated

into your readin gs. (Most standard ca lendars indica te the lunar

phases.)

• The new moon is the time for new beginni ngs. It produces

a new cycle. Man y issues are tr iggered off with the new

moon; new developments come into view or new matters

come up. It is the time seeds are planted , projects are in it io

ared, or someth ing is sta rred.

• The full moon brings mailers to culmina tion, completion

or fruition. It is the tim e of endings. Look to the full moon

to mark the finali ty of an issue or when, in fact, the querent

will find an answer to the matter, or somet hing unexpectedly

surfaces.

Wh ile on the subject of the full moon, here is an int eresting

bit of information . The full moon is a very emotional time. As

the moon gets bigger, people's problems get bigger. Issues become magn ified and exaggera ted and people have to find an

swers. Man y readers not ice more ca lls for consultat ions around

this t ime!

The full moo n is also said to be a very psychic t ime! I have

had extraordinary discernments when reading at this time, but

have not not iced the same with the new moon, except on a so

lar eclipse, which is a new moon ecli pse.

So me peop le recommend giving readings only when the


moon is in a water sign, especially Pisces. (A n ast rologica l

ephemeris or astro logical ca lenda r prov ides th is da ta .) Watet is

th e psychic element.

But I have not iced th at regard less of th e sign Ot ph ases of the

moo n , ex tra ordinary insights ca n st ill be had . The internal

co nd it ion of th e queren t seems 10 be weigh tier th an exte rnal

celest ial influences.

W ith numerology, it is helpful 10 know the querent's per

sonal year, persona l month, and pe rsonal da y. Nu merology is a

valuab le shortcut 10 tim ing.

Here is an example of how I co mbined my kn owledge of as

tro logy and numerology in order 10 zero in on a time fram e

when readi ng for a busin essman. From th e cards I could te ll he

was waiting for a phone ca ll about a new business venture. The

Ace of C ups, 10 of Pentacles, and The Chariot were some of

the cards that came up in the Celtic C ross Spread . He was in a

I perso nal year and a I personal month- a l ime of new begi n

n ings. I predict ed he would ge t a call with good news on the

day of the full moon, wh ich was in five days and fell exac tly o n

hi s I pe rsonal day. Sure enough, th e fo llowing week , h is wife

ph oned 10 tell me the ca ll ca me exa ctly when I had pred icted .

Again I want to remind you that these guideli nes are nor

written in stone, These are merely some add it ional tools you

may find useful. You ate go ing to have to expe riment with

th em. Be sure to take dated notes and fo llow up on what hap

pens.

Can the numbers on th e Ta rot ca rds be used fo r timing? With

the Major Trumps, I have never found this 10 be effect ive. Nor

have I found it effect ive 10 in te rpret th e meaningr of the indi o

vidual Major Trump ca rds in the co nt ext of th eir respect ive


numbers, because to me they never fit, espec ially with the tra

d it ional numerology I stud ied. O thers disagree with me and

th ink most, but not all, of these num be rs fit nicely, with thi s d is

crepancy du e 10 th e fact that we are not even ce rta in of the

o riginal arra ngement of the Major Arcana.

With th e four suits of th e Minor A rca na, I have been able 10

incorporat e the number on a card with a measure of time corre

spond ing to that suit and had good results. For example, th e 2 of

Swo rds may be int erp reted as an eve nt that will take place in two

hou rs or two days; 4 of Wands, four months; 6 of C ups, six days

or six weeks. Here again , there is a lot of intuitive feeling. This is

some thi ng else you'll have 10 play aro und with, perha ps while

also working in th e quercnt's personal numerological vibes.

C an you give me a crash cou rse in bas ic numerology? Nu

merology is basic mathemat ics. Grab a pencil and paper. In no

time you will be doing the calc ulations in yo ur head. Foll ow

along!

Start by calcula ting the unit'CTsal year. Add the four digits of

the current year 2004. 2 + 0 + 0 + 4 = 6. 2004 is a 6 unil'CTsal

year. Always reduce co a single digit. If this had been 1997, th e

procedure wou ld have been as follows: I + 9 + 9 + 7 = 26. Bur

in numerology everyth ing must be re-added in order 10 be re

duced to a single d igit . So 2 + 6 = 8. The year 1997 was an 8unit'CTsa/ year.

To find your perstmal year vibration, add you r birth month and

birth day 10 the curre nt uni t...,.sa/ year (which is 2004 o r a 6) . If

your birt hday is Januar y 17 (1/17), add I + I + 7 + 6 = IS. Re

member to always reduce co a single digit: I + 5 = 6. Your personal

year for 2004 is a 6. (Re member 10 reca lculat e th is fo r next year,

2005.)


To find your personal month vibration, add your personal year to

th e current calendar month. Let's say it's August (8). If your per

sonal year is a 6, add 6 + 8 = 14. Remember to always reduce wasingledigit (if necessary): I + 4 = 5. Your personal month is a 5.

To fi nd your personal day"bration, add your personal month to

the current calendar day. Let's say it's the fifth day (5) of the

month. If your personal month is a 5, add 5 + 5 = 10. Alu\1Ys re

duce to a single digit. I + 0 = I. Your personal day (for August 5,

2004)isa /.

It's so easy, a monkey can do it!

The vibration of the persona l year has the strongest influ

ence on our lives and is in effect for the entire caIendar year. For

insta nce , if you are in an 8 personal year during 2004, this vi

bration will be felt from the beginning of January 2004 to the

end of December 2004.

The personal year vibration indicates when to expec t major

life-alterin g changes: when to make life's important changes and

serious decisions: when to plan and time major life altering ac

tivities; what kind s of experiences to expect: what kinds of op

portunities may present themselves and which types of pursuits

are best started or avoided.

The vibration of th e personal months and personal days give

us the same information as the persona l years but th eir influ

ence does not have a broad life-changing impact. The persona l

months and persona l days are useful for zeroing in on th e pre

cise t iming, specific planning and sched uling of activities.

Now for th e key to th e interpretati ons.

I-This is a time of new beginnings. Start a new job, new ca

reer, new business or project. Many people move to a new loca

tion in a I personal year. Do someth ing original. Ge t out and

meet new people or expect new people to come into your life, ex-


posing you to new ideas. Be aggressive and go after what you

want. Be your own boss and do it your way. This is a time of in

dependence and a very active and busy time. Because your inde

pendent and pioneering spirit strongly prevails, th is is not the

best t ime to start a new relationship. It is not the worst t ime for

marriage, however, but you may be too focused on yourself to

make the necessary compromises.Sometimes in a I persona l year

a marriage is ente red into out of boredom or the need to do

something new. However, a I personal day isgreat for a first date .

2-This is the time to be passive and patient. Take the back

seat. Follow, do not lead. Be diplomatic, coopera tive, and agree

able. Become a collecto r. Take care of detai ls. Join groups, clubs,

teams, or organizations. In your 1 persona l year seeds were

plant ed and projects were init iated. This year, water th e seeds

th at were plant ed the previous year and let things grow. Do not

force issues. The 2 persona l year certai nly favors coopera tion

and co mpromise, but marriage entered into in th is year is usu

ally because you do not want to be alone. You could find yourself

going along with anyth ing and in a controlling situation.

3-T his is a party time, a fun time. You may be getting lots

of invit ations. It 's the time to make new friends, express your

self artist ically, shop, play, and laugh. Since thi s is a socia l year,

relationships entered into at this time will be fun friendships.

Marriage during this year will be happy t imes. But, you may

think it will always be easy going, and unprepared for th e in

evitable rough times. A 3 personal day is the best time for a

parry. Shop ping is also favored for th is day but you may find

yourself buying unnecessary items only because you like the

color. (3 is th e number of clothes and colors.)

4- This is the time to be a workaholic. Work, stay on sched

ule, st ick to routi ne, get organized, be practical , and get cho res


done. Build a struc ture and foundation for the future. Busi

nesses are often sta rted in th is year; but, do not expect profits

unt il your 8 persona l year. Marr iage in th is year usually involves

takin g on a lot of responsibility, such as caring for someone

else's chi ldren or being the main breadwinn er, It is also an indi

cat ion th at one is look ing for sec urity. The 4 personal day is a

good time to go on a job interv iew or sta rt a diet.

5- Expect the unexpected. You won' t know what is coming

around th e comer. Be adventurous, travel , take chances, wel

come a change in your schedule , and try someth ing unusual.

Experiences will be very unpredic table and unconventional, es

pecially romances. In a 5 persona l year you may lind yourself in

a wild and tumultuous romance with an emphasis on the sensual side. If it lasts into the following year, a 6 personal year, it

may become serious. The 5 personal year is not a good time to

marry. It is for all the wrong reasons, sex or money, and rarely

lasts. However, a 5 personal day is a great t ime to go out looking

for romance. Dress up and look your best. You may unexpectedly

run intO someo ne you want to impress. The 5 personal day is

also good for sho pping and gett in g a hair cut.

6-Duty calls. Time is not yo ur own. O thers need you. Help

people and listen ro th eir problems. Se tt le arguments and avoid

gett ing into th em. Stay close to h ome, take care of family, wel

come responsibil ity. A 6 personal year is the best time to marry

because it is for love. Marriages entered into in th is year have a

bette r ch an ce of surviving. Many people move or redecorate in

this year because th e focus is on the home. The 6 personal day

is a good time to clean house; but, avo id travel on this day(un

less it is to visit family).

7-This is an int rospect ive period. Rest, recuperate,

recharge your battery. You may lind yourself sleeping mote or


staring at th e te levision, because your energy is in your head.

Think, plan, wait, reevaluate. Do not force issues. Let th ings

come to you. This is also a spiritual t ime, not a material t ime.

Money may be slow but it is a good time for investing. This is

not th e best time to marry. Marriage in th is year may mean you

need someone to talk to and play psych iatrist to you; or, you

may want someone to take care of you. 7 is also the number of

secrets. Sometimes people lind th emselves in a clandest ine re

lati onship in this year. O r, you may attra ct someone who is al

ready married, seeing someone else, or unable to make a

commitment because of a restr iction or responsibility such as

caring for ano the r.

S-This is a material time. Initiate all th e things you

thought about last year, and actua lize all the plans you made.

Money, business, finan ce, and power cha racte rize this time. If

th at clandest ine relationship is st ill on th e scene , this year

could clear th e way. Marriage in thi s year usually means mon ey

and status are part of th e deal. 8 is also the number of fert ility.

Many women get pregnant in an 8 persona l year. If you started

a business in your 4 person al year, it could prosper in thi s year.

An 8 person al day is a good time for a workout.

9- This is th e time to finish, complete, end, wrap up, and let

go of what is no longer needed in your life. You may lind you

are outgrowing friends, a job, a marr iage, or hobb ies or inter

ests. Ge t rid of whatever is no longer workin g in your life. It is

also a spiritual time. Be a hum ani tarian and do good deeds.

Broaden your horizons and attend cultu ral events. Since thi s is

the ending of a cycle, marriage is unfavorab le in the 9 personal

year. It is unlikely to last. Although it is good for romance with

all th e trimmings such as candle light and music. A 9 person al

day is a good day for breaking up with someone, but not good


for a first date. It is also a great day for giving a stage perfor

mance, a lecture, or cleaning out your closets.

There are two exceptions to the rule of reducing everyth ing

to a single digit. If th e numbers add up to an II or 22, do not re

duce to a single digit. Instead write them as a fract ion : "/2 and

l¥•. These are master numbers and th eir ene rgy is very power

ful. The int erpreta t ions are as follows.

"11-This is a h ighly spiritua l and intu itive time. Experi

ences are non-material. Work in groups. Inspire othe rs by sha r

ing your insights and ideas. Do not str ive for person al or

material gain . Marriage in the ' 1/1 is usually because of sha red

ideals and dreams.

1¥.-This is a time to combin e the power of both the spiri

tual and material worlds. Inst itute large projects and make

grand plans. Work to make big dreams big realiti es. Marr iage in

the 1¥, year is usually because of a mutu al interest in th e inau

guration of major projects th at reshape th e world. A 1¥. day

also is a great day for acco mplishment.

I'm giving th ese meanings to you in a nutshell. For more in

depth meanings, check out any book on basic num erology. My

favorite is Florence Ca mpbell's Your DaysAre Numbered.When applied to Tarot card readin g, knowing th e querent's

persona l vibrati ons can be very effective for accurate prediction

of events . If the cards tell of a new love inte rest coming onto

th e scene, calculate the quere nt's nearest 5 personal month

and/or day. If you see in th e cards that the breakup of a rela

t ionship is imminent , look for th e queren t's next 9 personal

day.

Anothe r technique is to compare the querent's personal year

with the cards th at appear in th e spread. If the re are lots of

Pentacles, but the querent is in a 7 personal year, it could


mean that money is available, but being invested instead. Aces

in th e spread of someone who is in a I personal year reinforce

the theme of ini tiating a new project. These are just some of the

count less possible interpretations. By observing your own par

ticular persona l vibrations , you can see up close and persona l

how th ese influences opera te, and learn more about how to in

corpora te th is into your read ings.

H ow exactly do Tarot cards work ? The most widely accepted

th eor y is that of psychokinesis or telek inesis. Parapsychologists

define thi s as th e ability of the mind to influence the move

ment of objects. In othe r words, by concentrat ing on an inani

mate objec t, someone can actua lly make th at object move.

There have been man y documented cases of th is and its exis

tence is accepted by the parapsvchologv communi ty, even

th ough it is not fully understood.

Now let 's apply th is theory of psychokinesis to Tarot cards. If

one can mentally affect the movement of objects, isn't it con

ce ivable tha t one could just as easily uncomciously affect the

movement or arrangement of Tarot cards?T hus when the que r

en t shuffles the cards and th ey are laid out in a spread by the

reader, they seem to correspond directly with th e issues that are

on the querent 's mind.

"An extrnphvsical power (now stud ied in our universities as

'psychokineti c effect' )," writes Eden Gray in her book A Com

plete Guide eo the Tarot, "affects the unconsc ious movements of

the person shuffl ing, cutt ing and laying out the cards, and when

they are dealt they seem to fall into positions that inevitably re

late to th e subject of the reading."

Lynn M. Buess, in h is book The Tarot and Tramfomuuion,

elabora tes further on this psi theory: "It is written that in con-


junction and coincident with th e physical body th ere exists an

ether ic double-an exact psych ic duplication of the physical

anatomy.. . . Bydirected effort of the will, the erheric body can

be guided to points far distant from the physical body; th is pro

cedure is often referred to as astral projection . It is known that

the etheric functions are primarily unconscious. . . . Presum

ably during a Tarot reading the eth eric senses stir th e vibra

tional fields from th e individual's subconscious, providing

impetus to the selection of the card or cards wherein th e sym

bolism inherentl y possesses th e frequency of vibrati on corre

sponding to th e que rent's life."There is, however, another th eory that may be relevant, and

th at is Carl lung's wory of synchronicity. Carl lung developed

this theory to apply to the I Ching, or Book of Changes, but it

can easily be applied to the shuffling of Tarot cards.

According to lung, "whatever happens in a given moment

possesses inevitably th e quality peculiar to th at moment . . .

whereas synchronici ty takes the coincidence of events in space

and time as meaning someth ing more than mere chance

namely, a peculiar interdependence of objective events among

th emselves as well as with the subjective (psychic) states of th e

observer or observers. n

Therefore the psychi c or emoti0lll11 state of the querent COt

responds with th e parti cular charac teristic of th at moment of

time, when the cards are shuffled. This determines the manner

in which they will fall; which is coincidentally not random.

Perha ps psychokinesis and/or synchronici ty are correct ex

planat ions for the workings of Tarot cards. Ce rtainly th e com

mon denominator is the psychic or emotional sta te of the

querent and th is factors into th e connection made to the astral

level or fourth dimension . Rich ard Cavendish, in his book The


Black Am , says, "The astral plane, in modem th eory, is the one

in which desires, emot ions and feelings move."

However, with all due respect to th ese theories, I see the

work ings of the Tarot differently. I am not going to say th at the

querent does not unconsc iously affect the way the cards fall;

maybe th at really does happen. And maybe it really does hap

pen in conjunction with synchronicity. But I believe someth ing

else is going on and that more of the process rests with the

reader, not necessarily with the cards that fall in that spread.

I see Tarot cards as a focusing tool th at keeps the mind from

wandering. Wh en the atte nt ion is fixed and the reader is con

centrating, psychic energy flows.

As the reader focuses on the cards, the symbols begin to

stimulate her subconscious mind. Since the subconscious natu

rally thinks and dreams in symbols, th is is very comfortab le and

there is a shift from th e left side of the brain, which is th e rea

soning area, to the right side, which is th e art istic and intuitive

area. At thi s point, insights are mostly coming from th e int u

itive level. However, at some point, there is transcendence into

th e purely psychic area. And here is where I sec much of th e

action coming from the reader. This is what I think happens.

Assuming the reader is very focused and cent ered and the

querent is relaxed, at some point the reader will let go of the fo

cus on th e symbols and litera lly begin reading the querent. She

begins to draw from th e querent. Drawing is an old occult tech

nique that most likely came from the East. For certa in, th e

older generat ion of psychics pract iced th is technique-maybe

even without realizing it. That genera tion of psychics had skills

that were highly impressive. Personally, I don' t know if this

new crop tha t is coming up even knows what drawing is.

To expound, th e reader draws etheric fluid from th e querent .


Erheric fluid is explained by referring again to the astral level

(somet imes called the fourth dimension ), which is a less dense

level of mailer. The etheric level is also a less dense level of

mail er. but it is nearer to the physical level th an th e astral

level. JUSt as we have a physical body, we have an etheric body

(as already mentioned) and an astral body. This is often re

ferred to as the aura. This etheric body contains a substance

known as etheric fluid. By drawing on this. a psychic reads the

et heric fluid, or literally reads the subconscious mind of the

querent.It is said by metaph ysicians and even psychologists that we

already know our futures in our deep subconscious minds be

cause unconsciously (or consciously) we are creating th em and

sell ing th ings up for ourselves. Wh at the psych ic reader (or

Tarot reader, because Tarot is a psychic medium) does is to drawthi s information out (using th e occult technique) and bring it

to the awareness of th e querent during the reading. Many quer

en ts report th at during a reading they feel pleasantly sleepy or

drowsy. This is one of the curious side effects of an intense psy

ch ic reading . After th e reading, when th e drawing has stopped,

the querent feels alert again.While various cards in th e spread may be guideposts for th e

reader and rouse her int uition. I believe th eir primary purpose

is to serve as an inte rmediary between th e reader and the quer

ent, whereas, th e psych ic connection made by the reader to th e

querent is accomplished by the occult technique of drawing.

Thus there is somewha t of a rotat ing exchange of energies

bouncing from th e reader to the cards to th e querent and back

again. (Since psychic energy and how it works are not under

stood, it is impossible to be certain what exactly is going on.)


However. to me, th is is the best explanation for how Tarot cardsreally work .

The techn ique of drawing can also be used when readin g a

crystal ball or tea leaves. or by focusing directl y on th e querent.

Regarding drawing of erheric flu id; many years ago I read

about it in an old book. the title of which I have now forgotte n.

I also remember discussing it in psychic circles (in England and

th e United States) using thi s exac t term. However my recent

research yields references to etheric fluid only, and nothing in

the contex t of drawingerheric fluid. It has been suggested to me

th at because we have no proper language in which to discuss

psychic mailers or th e mystical experience. th is could be caus

ing th e confusion. Hence it may be recognized by some people

using a different term or different description . This is one of the

many frequent frustrations encoun tered when discussing psy

chic mailers. Therefore I do not know where to refer you for

more information on thi s interesting and rarely mentioned occult techn ique.

By th e way, the technique can be naturally learned by con

scious concent ration on the cards; th at is, by lookingat the carris.

This focus stills the mind and facilitates the quick development

of your intuitive/psychic faculties . In no time you will become

aware of, or sense. the subtle interaction between you and thequerent.

What does it mean if a card falls out of th e deck when the

querent is shuffling? There are some readers who think th at if

a card or cards fall out of th e deck during the shuffle. this may

be the result of psychokinetic activity as previously explained.

There is also th e occult maxim that nothing everhappens byscci-


dent. In other words, th ere is a reason for everything. So per

haps thi s seeming mishap, which may origina te in the subcon

scious mind of the querent, has informative significance and

should be immediarely inte rpreted.

I, however, do not make this distinction. I simply pick the

fallen card or cards up and ask th e querent to reshuffle. I like

th ings to be simple. Adding too many nuances complicates

matters and th e important points are missed. This is my per

sonal style, and remember it works. You will have to try for

yourself to see how you feel about th is issue.

Wh at is the difference between astrology, num erology, palm

istry, and the Tarot? They are all esoteric d isciplines th at can

give us insight into ourselves and our relationsh ip to the uni

verse. However th ey are different because the y work in differ

ent ways, and utilize different data. Astrol ogy uses th e birth

date, birth place, and exact time of birt h. Numerology uses the

full name at birth and the birth date. Palmistry uses both

hands. And, for a Tarot reading, all th at is needed is a deck of

Tarot cards, th e symbols being the only data used as input.

However there is one very signifi cant difference th at places

astrology, numerology, and palm istry into one category and

leaves the Tarot in ano ther. Astrology, numerology, and palm

istry are both sciences and arts. Astrology and numero logy re

quire exact mathematical calculations, and there are rules to

scient ifically read palms. But all of this must be interpreted and

hence these sciences then become arts.

"Astrology is both a science and an art," writes Myrna

Lofthus in A Spiritual Approach w AstTOlogy. "It is a science, be

cause the sett ing up of a chart is an exacting process for each

factor has to be calculated. As an art, it depends on the as-


trologer's skill in inte rpreting th e chart. " Of palmistry, Marten

Ste inbach says in his book, Medical Palmisrry, "... modem

palmistry is pred icated upon a set of criteria as rigid as any in

physics." He goes on to say ".. . in reading hands the palmist

makes value judgments based in part upon subjective reac

tions."

Now with the Tarot, the re are no exac t scienti fic calcula

tions to interpret, no exact laws to follow, and no scientific

methods or formulas to use. There are some hel pful guidelines

but they have no proven scient ific basis. Therefore when read

ing Tarot cards, informat ion is obtained empirically and one

must rely exclusively on one's inruiti,,,/psychic faculties. It is thi s

total use of intuition and psychic ability that distinguishes th e

Tarot from astro logy, numerology, and palmistry, and places it

in th e same category as that of a crystal ball, tea leaves, or rune

stones. Wh ereas the former have a scient ific found ation on

which to base int erpretation and do require th e use of some in

tuit ion , the latter can be described as purely inruiti,,,/psychic

mediums which serve as focusing tools to keep the mind from

wandering.

Wh at do you mean by intuitive/psychic faculties? This is a

term I made up based on my own personal experience with th e

Tarot. It is an inruitive/psychic medium and aids in th e develop

ment of our natural inruitive/psychic facult ies. Wh en reading

Tarot cards, you are simultaneously using your intu ition and

psychic ability.

This term may sound like an oxymoron because intuition

and psychic perception could be defined as being very distinct

from each other, almost cont radictory. But I think there may be

a fi ne line between the two. In a sense, they are both two differ-


ent ways of receiving infonnarion but the actua l experience

could be described as similar. Rather than debat e it, I encourage

you to observe for yourself when working with Tarot cards.

Meanwhile I shall define intuition and psych ic perception (in

relation to the Tarot experience) and hopefully gi\'e you more

of an understanding of what to expect as the developme nt un

folds. Bear with me; these are highly abstract concepts and not

easily verbalized; nor are th ere even enough words in our vo

cabulary to accurately describe the otheru>orldly experience . As I

have said before, language is a big problem!

Intuit ion , according to Webster's New World Dictionary, is

"the immediate knowing or learning of something without the

consoous use of reason ing." Not ice, the definition says, "with

out the conscious use of reasoning." It does not say that reason

ing is not used. It saysone is not aware of the reasoning process.

Mart en Steinbach in his book, Medical Palmistry, elaborates:

"Intuition may be defined as th e instantaneous synt hesis below

th e level of consciousness of observed details leading to the for

mation of judgments, only th e results rising into conscious-

"ness.Wh at both of th ese definitions are describ ing is a flash of in

sight tha t everyone has had at one time or another, a sudden re

alization th at seems to come out of nowhere. It may seem

illogical and unexplainable but you know it is accurate. This is

intuition; and, on some level, even if you have not been aware

of it, you hat-e used your reasoning ability. You have made what

Marten Steinbach calls "the intuitive leap . . . to th e extrapo

lated conclusion ."

Relating the intuiti"" leap to Tarot card reading, the symbols

are actually providing th e basis for reasoning (on an int uitive ,


but unconscious, level) . When look ing at the symbols, you

make a connection with them (on an intuit ive, but uncon

scious level). This connec tion gives you flashes of insight

which allow you to make th e intuiti,-e leap.While intu ition is considered to be a functio n of th e intel

lect (unconscious reasoning is involved), psychic perception oc

curs on the emot ional level. (Remember emo t ions are in the

astral realrn.) With intuition , we know. With psychi c percep

tion, we fee l or sense something (the sixth sense ). We perceive

something which goes, according to Webster's, "beyond natura l

or known physical processes." With psychic perc ept ion, it's as if

something passes through us or we see it in our mind's eye

(clairvoyance); and, we know it th rough our sixth sense, It is a

much more subtle awareness than the int ui tive flash. When

psychic channels are triggered, th e impressions received seem

to transcend or bear no relat ion at all to th e symbols.

Eden Gray, in her book A Complete Guide to the Tarot, says

"Perhaps you are psychic; th e cards then will really come alive

for you. . . . Those who do not feel that th ey a re psychic will

soon find, however, that they are developing a six th sense...."

What can I do to further develop my inluili...elpsyc hic facul

lies? I have repeatedly emphasized the importance of a calm

mind and th e standard technique to accomplish this is medita

tion . Not meditat ion on Tarot cards (although I do not discour

age it); but old-fashioned, tradit ional, eastern m editation-the

way th e yogis do it. Meditat ion promotes rel axat ion. It is cen

tering and helps you to focus and concentra te . When you are

relaxed, psych ic energy natu rally and easily flows.

There are many meditat ion classes availab le offering a vari-


ery of techniques, all of which are beneficial. If you combine

meditation with yoga exercises and breathing exercises, the re

sults will be even better.

Be warned , however; do not go into a meditati on or yoga

class announcing your intent ions to develop psychic ability.

This is frowned upon by yoga masters. Indeed, yoga does de

velop man y extra ordinary powers, such as psychic ability and

th e ability to levitat e. These supernormal powers, ca lled siddhis,

begin appearing after years and years of discipline and practice.

The tradit iona l yogi is very spiritual and considers th ese siddhis

to be dist racting and tries to ignore th em. According to tradi

tional easte rn belief, the yogi's only objective is to reach en

light en ment, and the display of paran orma l powers is

egocentric and not consistent with spiritual goals.

Another technique I recommend is Sil""Mind Contro/. I was

int roduced to this many years ago and have used it in conju nc

tion with tradi tional meditat ion. Sil"" Mind Control, also

known as the Sil"" Method, is a scient ifically based program that

teac hes how, th rough controlled relaxation , it is possible to tap

into the unlimited potent ials of the mind .

By using a simple technique, alpha waves can quickl y be pro

duced. These are brain waves tha t allow the mind to function

at deeper, more effective levels. When the mind is at alpha

level, one is relaxed and can easily solve problems, think cre

atively, and develop intui tion and psychic ability. O the r bene

fits include improved learning and memory skills, maintaining

a positive mental attitude, and eliminating bad habits.

Sil"" Mind Control is really a speedy fonn of meditation and

the concentration techniques are similar to th ose taught in th e

East by yogis and Zen masters; but the SiI"" Method is more at

tuned to th e western mentali ty and lifestyle.

ARE WE HAVING FUN YET? 8 \

Most meditati on instructors recomm end th irty minutes two

times a day. There are even Tarot instructions to meditate on

one card for thirrv minutes. However, in an era th at co ined the

term 24/7, when was th e last time you found thirty minutes for

lunch ? In this busy and tumultuous age, when time is so pre

cious, the benefits of any kind of meditation become more sig

nificant th an ever. While it would be nice to be able to sit for

long periods every day, for most people it is virtually an impos

sibility. This should not be discouraging. Even sirting alone for

only a few minutes each day, finding your center and reflecting

on the here and now will yield positive results.

Will following a special diet enhance my intui t itlelp'Ychic

faculties! My answer to this question will probably surprise

you. But I am speaking from experience , and, in my experience:

No! Following a spec ial diet will not enhance your intuitive/psy

chic abilit ies.

I have been on junk food binges for days, ingesting hamburg

ers, French fries, candy, and caffeine and noticed no diminish

ment at all in my ability to read with clarity.

Nor have I not iced an increase in my intuition when follow

ing a healthy diet ; although I certa in ly felt a lot better. I have

expe rimented with macrobiot ics, vegetarianism, and a foodcombining program and found no enhancement or decrease in

my inruiti"dpsychic faculties. I do maintain, however, th at be

cause psych ic work can be so draining, it is important to keep

your stamina up, and the way to do th at is to eat well.

However, there is one practice tha t !empotarily enhanced my

facult ies. Many years ago I was living on Long Island, New

York, and read ing at psych ic fairs, discos, and restauran ts, Ofcourse, th e disco and restaurant work was done in th e evening,


so I would skip dinner and spend about three to four hours read

ing on an empty, growling stomach. I did, however, drink lots of

fluids: water and diet sodas. My readings were incredible! They

were so sha rp I literally pulled insights out of the air.

The th inking is th at it takes ene rgy to digest food and if your

stomach is full, the digest ive system is, of course, using energy

to digest th e food. But if the stomach is empty, there is more

energy available to be directed towards psychic channels.

However, there is a serious downside to this pract ice. Aft er

th e stint , I'd be so hungry from the low blood sugar, I'd rush to

an invit ing Lon g Island Greek diner and pig out (literally gorge

myself) on cheese omelets, toasted buttered bagels, hash

browns, and lemon meringue pie. Years later a nutr itionist to ld

me it was very unhealth y to throw the blood sugar off, and , of

course, this was not helpful in my chronic haule of the bulge. So

please don 't try th is unless your body is strong and healthy

enough to withstand th e stress.

There is also a theory, acco rding to occu lt ists, th at th e

slightly starved body, that is an extremely thin person, has an

advantage because th e ethe ric body is already sligh tly loosened,

making th at individual natu rally more psych ic. In the answer

to the quest ion, How e=tly doTarot cards work? there is men

tion of the unconscious projection of the ethe ric body. There

fore being really skinny may give easier access to the fourth

dimension. Not very encouraging for an overweigh t society;

and, from my experience, not at all a necessity. This is just

more added information you can try incorporatin g if you are

strong-willed enough to make it past Ben & Jerry's!

While st ill on th e subject of d iet; Dian Fortune in PsychicSelf Defence, gives her two cents by critic izing the Theosophi

ca l Society's insistence that vegetarianism is an absolute ne-


cessity for occult training. Dian Fortune and I both agree th at

a vegetarian d iet is not for everyone and, unless th oroughly

understood, can cause severe problems after a considerable pe

riod of time. We also both agree th at a healthy, well-balanced

diet of moderate port ions of food is the most susta in ing for

spirituality.

H ow can I already know my future? Isn't it interestin g how

one question leads to ano the r and one answer overlaps into an

othe r! When expounding on Tarot cards, there is a th in line

between the technical and the philosophical.

I have mentioned that metaphysicians and psychologists say

we already know our futures because we are unconsciously (or

consciously) sett ing th ings up for ourselves. It is also agreed by

metaphysicians, theologians, and psycho logists that our though ts

have power. We are the sum to tal of our thoughts. Litera lly, as

we th ink, so we are. To reiterate: thoughts (emotions, feel ings)

exist on the astra l level. So when we think someth ing, th e

th ought is a reality on the astral level. A powerful thought ,

cha rged with strong emot ion, will th en work its way down to

th e physica l level, where it becomes a tangible reali ty in our

lives. This is why we arc to ld to think happy thoughts!

This is better explained by th e myth about an Egyptian god,

Thoth: also, known in Greek circles as Hermes Trisrnegistus. I

remember one source describing him as half -mao and half

god ; h is father being th e god Hennes and his mother a mere

mortal woman. Regardless of h is ancestry, legend has it th at he

gave to th e world an inscribed emera ld tablet containing a

valuable occult axiom. It boils down to these famous words: as

abot"" so below.This simple formula describes th e fundamental law of the


cosmos, summing up the nature of the universe. It can be inter

preted on different levels. In plain terms, there is an order to

th e ent ire universe. Not ice how the structure of th e atom bears

a very similar resemblance to the solar system. As above , so below. This is also the metaphysical ration ale for the validity of

astro logy. As the planets move about in the sky, the symbolic in

terpretluions of their movements correspond with events th at

take place on earth. As aOO.>e , so below.As I have said, thi s uniwTSal truth even plays out in the astral

world, according to cosmic law and order. T he astral world is

totally governed by th ought. O ur th oughts, conscious or un

conscious, take hold on the astral level, which ultimate ly be

comes reflected on the earth ly level. As above , so below.Richard Wilhelm, in his introduction to the 1Ching, writes,

". . . every event in th e visible world is the effect of an 'image',

th at is, of an idea in the unseen world [th e astra l level]. Ac

cordingly, everything th at happens on earth is only a reprodu c

tion, as it were, of an event in a world beyond our sense

perception; as regards its occurrence in time, it is late r th an the

suprasensible event ." In othe r words, when you th ink some

thing; it takes place on the astral level; and , then at a later

time, it happens/manifests here on earth.

Listen up! Wilhelm goes on to say, "The holy men and sages,

who are in contact with th ose higher spheres [psychics who can

connect with th e fourth dimension). have access to th ese ideas

through direct intuition and, are th erefore able to intervene de

cisively in the events of the world ." Therefore since an event

has already taken place in the fourth dimension, the psychic is

seeing that event in the fourth dimension and foreseeing it as a

future event th at will happen in the life of the querent. The


psychic is telling the querent someth ing th e querent has al

ready set up for herself (on the astral level ) by think ing it !

I know I am repeating myself, here, but it is unavoidable.

Working with the Tarot allows for th e development of th e intu

ition. As the intuition develops, contact with h igher realms is

made, along with an att uning to your h igher consciousness.

This means you have an increased awareness of th e fourth di

mension or th e astra l level, where your th oughts take place and

initi ally become realiti es. As awareness of your h igher con

sciousness increases, you begin to realize you are responsibl e for

everything you are bringing into your life. In other words, you

are creating your own future. Call it enlightenment or good

old-fash ioned maturity; but, for cerrain, it is a change in con

sc iousness.

I vividly remember when first start ing th e study of the Tarot

along with other forms of divinati on, I was told all of this by

older and wiser people. I was clearly advised future-telling was

not what it was all about and tha t there was a deeper, more spir

itual significance to be gained by esoteric inquiries (and that was

self-awareness). But I refused to listen. Surely to read the future

was to have power! Eventually, after several years of growth, I

came to realize that what the elders had told me really was true;

the power was within me. As aOO.>e . so below.You will also notice afte r reading Tarot cards for diverse

types of people, that it is more difficult to predict the future for

those who already have a degree of cosmic consciousness. Peo

ple with awareness are in control of th eir lives (and th eir fu

tu res) and take responsibility for th e choices they make. Nor

would these types be thrown off th eir feet by externa l, uncon

trollable events . Their inner fortitude, as acquired by thi s cos-


mic consciousness or mature approach to life, would sustain

them through difficult times.

Anot he r revelat ion co incid ing with spiritual development is

that you realize the re is virtually nothing superna tural about

fortune-celling. It is a perfectly natural pursuit because it is in ac

cordance with natural cosmic law.

A closing thought: The Magician, th e first card in th e deck,

is in my opinion th e depict ion of th is classic metaph ysical

maxim. His right hand is raised toward the heavens (as above)

as he draws power down and passes it th rough his left hand,

which points to th e earth (so below). He lives in harmony with

cosmic law by balancing th e elements (earth , water, air, and

fire ) as represented by th e symbols on the table before h im.

If I shuffle the cards again, will I get the same answe r? This is

someth ing men frequent ly ask me; they like testing the cards.

But remember my previous explanation; it really isn't th e cards

anyway. While th e same cards may very well turn up over and

over again , I believe the information is not directl y coming

from th e cards but, instead, from the psych ic interaction with

the querent. Therefore playing with th e cards will cause noth

ing more th an disturbing confusion.

Refer to th e 1 Ching or Book of Changes. The fourth hexa

gram, Youthful Folly, says: "At the firs t oracle I inform him. If he

asks two or th ree times, it is importun ity. If he import unes, I

give no information ." In othe r words, if you play with th e ora

cle, the oracle will play with you .

O nly in the beginning, when you are learning to read the

cards, should you be testing them. After that period, they

should be treated with great respect.


If you are uncomfort able with an answer th at the Tarot has

given , you can eithe r wait twenty-four hours before asking it

again or try using a different spread. A different spread may give

you more in-depth information. But playing with the cards to

test them or because you do not like the answer they have

given you is fruit less, unwise, and a virtual exercise in futi lity.

Plus remember the effect emot ions have on the reading.

Anx iety and agita tion are obstructions. If you have a strong

emotiona l investment in a matt er, tty meditating for several

minutes to ca lm the mind . A deep meditation is centering and

opens the psychic channels.

Ca n I read Tarot cards for myself? This is a personal mailer. I

th ink th e issue of an emotiona l investment is an even stronger

obstacle when attempting to read for oneself. Dion Fortune

agrees: "It is well known that no seer can skry for h imself in any

mailer in which he himself is int imately conce rned."

I fi nd it very difficult to be objective with myself when con

cerned about a specific situation. My emotion s and wishful

thinking get in the way of accepting the answer the Tarot cards

give me. However, a friend of mine, who is an excellent reader,

answers questions for herself all th e time and always gets accu

rate insights.

O n the othe r hand, if I want to see what comes out and I am

not looking for anyth ing specific, I tend to get some amazing

insights. Unfortunately, at times I can only make sense our of

th e readin g in ret rospect by looking back over th e notes of

which cards came up.

Ce rta inly during the learning phases, you should give your

self readings. This is how you learn. But furth er down th e road,


thi s may be anothe r exercise in futility. Again you are going to

have to experiment and find what works for you. Note raking

for thi s is invaluable, and remember the benefits of meditating!

H ow far into th e future can you see with the Tarot? There

are spreads th at can cover a lifetime but personally I find them

valueless. People can grow and change, and time for th at

growth must be allowed. The classic Tarot maxim, the only thing

constant in life is change. hints at how we can change/contro l our

lives by the cho ices we make.

To rephrase previously discussed concepts: while there may

be some things that are predestined or beyond our cont rol, not

everything is written in stone and, according to occult ists, we

can cont rol our lives. In more instances than we'd like to ad

mit, the future is really determined by th e cho ices we make or

how we choose to respond (not react) to th e cha llenges the

universe presents to us. Metaph ysicians believe we can have

free will by making conscious choices in life.

The ancient Chinese clearly recognized th at the universe is

always in a state of flux, and based the I Ching on th is

metaphysical observation. Hence the cha nging lines in the

hexagra ms were developed to express various forms of transfe r

marions, and to give th e inquirer choices of how to effectively

deal with situations.

App lying th is to any form of divination, the inevitable pos

sibility of change and growth must be allowed for before long

term predictions are made. Therefore I am comfortable with an

accu rate projecti on of about six months to one year into the fu

ture with Tarot cards.

An extra note: the re are some traditi onalists who refuse to

use esoteric disciplines to foretell the future, preferring to use


th em as tools for self-awareness only. They firmly believe th at,

if you tell a querent too much about the future, it becomes a

self-fulfiUing prophecy. The querent will set it up for herself

unconsciously, of course-and make absolutely no effort to ini

t iate the necessary cha nges in her life for self-improvement.

Meanwhile, I have been talking about futu re-telling with

Tarot cards. But sometimes just th e opposite happens. I briefly

mentioned th is in Chapter 2. At times there is the problem of

distinguishing between th e past, present, and future. Instead of

projecting into th e future , you may go backwards into the past

and pick up past issues very easily. This is because th e effects of

a past issue may still have a strong hold on th e querent and on

th e emotional .'<lTiabIes. Remember, emotions exist on the astral

level and the reader is picking up on emot ions. I also previously

mentioned th at when tappi ng into othe r dimensions our per

ceptions of time and space are altered or transcended. The past,

present, and future are actua lly merged into one stream of con

sciousness. I admit this is really a watered-down explana tion in

describing the experience on the sluuIowy plane. Again, I de

fend th e inab ility to clearly do so because language or lack of

proper language is really the problem. However, th is altered

perception is anothe r factor tha t adds to th e complication of

time and Tarot cards, and explains why the di rection in which

th e reading goes may appear to be uncontrollable (i.e. going

backward in time or forward in time) . I am pointing th is out so

when you begin readin g for others, you will not be surprised if

thi s happens. It is important to know what kind s of experiences

to expect. The fourth dimension is a peculiar realm!

With so many Tarot decks to choose from. wh ich is the best

to use? As you can see, I prefer the Rider-Waite Tarot deck. I

90 THE 2 -H OUR TAROT TUTOR

think it is the easiest to work with , easiest to teach, and easiest

to learn . It is a very traditi onal deck that was developed around

th e early 1900s. The Rider-Waite Tarot deck is a creat ion of

th e combined efforts of Arthur Edward Waite and Pamela Co l

man Smith. Waite was a brilliant occultist with a deep under

standing of the Tarot and its mystical symbolism. Smith was a

brilliant and talented art ist. Both were members of the very fa

mous O rder of The Go lden Dawn, a powerful occult organiz

ation, which no longer exists. Waite gave Ms. Smith specific

instructions for the drawings, and togethe r th ey developed a

beautifu l, colorful, and alive deck of cards fi lled with rich mys

tical symbolism. This deck has been in print for almost one

hundred years, and is considered a classic among Tarot cards.

Several years ago, out of curiosity, I experimented with two

other decks. O ne was designed by Aleister Crowley, the notori

ous and reputedly nefarious magician, who was also at one time

a member of The Go lden Dawn. Crowley's deck is laden with

heavy dark symbolism, and reflects his allegedly sinister person

ality. I used th is deck for one spread during a private consulta

tion . I then expanded on the reading by switching back to the

Rider-Waite deck and saw death in the cards, a story I recount

in Chapter 6. I took it as an ominous portent, and never used

Crowley's deck again!

Around th at time I also tried anorher deck. th e Astro

Mythological Cards designed by Marie Lenormand. Mlle.

Lenormand was a famous Tarot card reader, counsel to the Em

peror Napoleon, his wife. Josephine, and many prominent aris

tocrats. Her accurate but unwelcome predictions so infuriated

Napoleon th at , on two occasions, he threw her in prison ! Mlle.

Lenormand's cards are lovely bur they never clicked with me.


I do, however. encourage students to sample other decks. af

ter th ey have had some experience with the Rider-Waite deck.

There are count less decks current ly on the market and more

and more appearing yearly.

How do you feel about Tarot cards for children? Many moons

ago, when I began reading professionally, I was adamant ly

against Tarot cards for children. 1 th ought it was totally inap

propriate. However as I began ente rta ining at bar mitzvahs, the

Tarot began increasing in popularity, and th ere were many re

quests for readings for children by the chi ldren the mselves.

Alas, one must change with th e times! Reluctantly one night I

tried an experiment . Sta rt ing with a new deck, I took about

one- third of th e cards out of the deck. This included all th e dif

ficulrcards. such as Death, The Tower, and many of the Swords.

(By th e way, when I read at parti es I use the min iature deck. It

is small and much easier to shuffle quickly.) The results were as

tounding! It was a great night. T he children loved it and the

readin gs were light and fun. I saw pets. happy days at summer

camp, and vacations to foreign countries. I continue using my

children's deck for young people up to fourteen years of age.

As for your child wanting ro learn how to read Tarot cards.

th is is of course a personal matter for each parent . I would sug

gest removing, as I have done, th e heavy cards. I have also no

ticed that children are more sensitive to the imagery than

adults; perhaps because they are not yet programmed by ra

tional thinking and still in touch with many of their int uitive

feelings. This is a good th ing in a way and could work towards

making them excellent Tarot readers.

I remember one thirteen-year-old boy looking at the 3 of


Swords. "Yuch !" He remarked. "This looks awful!" An honesr

opin ion, out of the mouth s of babes.

In anothe r instance, I was reading at a little children's Hal

loween party. I wore a witch 's hat and attempted to play a sort

of Go-Fish Tarot with th e children, while th rowing asrro-dice .

There really isn't much you can tell t iny tots, and I had sug

gested to the mother that she call a th eatrical school and hire

an actor to play a cha racter. It would have been a lot less ex

pensive. But the mother wanted th e real McCoy. I read for some

of the nannies and othe r mothers and tried to keep th e chi l

dren busy. One little five-year-old girl became ent hralled with

th e cards. She went through th em one-by-one and fell in love

with the 9 of C ups (a wish granted) and th e 6 of C ups (chil

dren playing and gift-giving). So intense was her att raction to

th ese part icular cards, she wouldn 't give them back to me.

"I like these!" she to ld me with glee. "I'm keeping them for

myself."

It was amazing how a littl e ch ild, who could neither read nor

write, could int uitively connect with th e beaut iful symbolism

of these two cards. Fortunately by the end of the part y, she lost

inte rest and threw them on the couch, allowing for an easy re

trieval.

What I have heard from some parents is that thei r ch ild

quickly becomes disenchant ed with the cards because the in

st ructi ons are too hard to fi gure out. My instruct ions should be

very easy for a chi ld to follow because my met hod is in tune

with genuine childlikeness.

Why are Tarot ca rds becoming so popular? Fascination with

Tarot cards has endured for centuries, but th eir recent surge in

popularity definitely coincides with the New Millennium sh ift


in consciousness, which also accounts for the increased interest

in all New Age pursuits.

As we started moving towards the new century, many people

began experiencing other dimensions and perceiving a h igher

consciousness. This will become even more pronounced over the

next several years. In March 2003 the planet Uranus moved into

Pisces where it will remain until March 2011. Uranus is the great

awakener and Pisces is the psych ic sign, ruling intuition , feelings,

telepathy, mysticism, and spirituality. During th is time, psych ic

energy will be abundant ly tloating around, and psychic skills

such as clairvoyance and telepathy will be easier to develop.

From April 2011 to the end of [anuary 2026, Neptune will also

be rolling around in the sign of Pisces, Neptune's natural ruler.

Thus the increased awareness of othe r realms and the spiritual

activities associated with them will be on the rise during that pe

riod too. So the next two and a half decades, hopefully, will bemarked by great advancement in our spiritual evolution.

This is where Tarot ca rds come in. They make a perfect fit

with the astrological trend of the co ming times; and thei r pop

ularity will become even more widespread as we move forward

into what might very well be th e Age of Enlightenme nt .

The Tarot raises spiritual awareness and fosters the develop

ment of intu ition; and, remember, the cards serve as focusing

tools for directing psychic energy! It is my deep conviction that

th ese mysterious cards, laden with ancient esoteric symbols

conveying eterna l wisdom, will play an integral role in th e fu

tu re development of our spiritual growth. Tarot cards will be

come universally recognized as invaluable instru ments that

illuminate the path connecting us to our higher selves.

Check out the eighteenth card, The Moon. It represents the

psychic world and all irs infinite manifestations.


Is it important to be familiar with the histor y of th e Tarot

cards ' symbolism? Tarot cards were designed with symbols

taken from many different ancient cultures. Perhaps this is why

it is so difficult to att ribute their origins to one particular civi

lization.

While the historical background and details of th e esoteric

meanings of each symbo l (as it relates to a part icular culture)

would be very interesting, I think it defeats the ent ire purpose

of the cards.

"The aim of .. . symbols .. . was to reach man 's high er cen

ters [the higher self) , to transm it to him ideas inaccessible to

th e inte llect. .. .n This is from P. D. Ouspensky's book In Searchof the Mirocu!ot" . Ouspensky is, of course, quoting George G ur

djieff, a controversial spiritual teacher of th e last cent ury.

"Symbolism is the language of th e subconscious," says the

late renowned Tarot reader Richard Ga rdner in his book TheTarot Speak>. "In the middle ages we communica ted far more by

symbols than we do now. Shops, for instance, invariably used

signs, not written names, so th at in those days our minds would

have been more practiced in symbology th an now." (Cent uries

ago, most people did not read or write; thus, before read ing became widespread , symbols were used in everyday life. A tave rn

displayed a mug of ale; an optician displayed a pair of glasses; or

a shoe maker displayed a shoe or boor.) Richard Ga rdner goes

on to say, "This is a considerable loss to our intuition, which

th inks and manifests in symbols. . . ."

"Symbo ls can be thought of as psychic transmitters," writes

Alfred Douglas in his book TheTarot.

By studying, thinking, and intellectualizing you are blocki ng

th e purpose of the symbols and creating a barrier to the devel

opment of the intuitive/psychic faculties. Keep in mind tha t it is


th e symbols which make that direct connection to th e high er

self. It is also important to remember that the cards were not

originally designed to be a fortune-telling device. Therefore the

historical background of th e symbols may not even be relevant

to th e divinatory meanings. This intellectual pursuit would

lead to abject confusion. I give it a big thumbs down! If your cu

riosiry gets the best of you, I suggest you wait to study th e his

to ry of th e symbols only after havin g made th e intuitive

connection with the cards.

Is it true th at a Tarot reading cannot be recorded on tape?

From my experience, it is impossible many times to record a

psych ic reading of any kind. I do qualify thi s by saying many

times , but not always. Psychic energy appears to have a ten

dency to interfere with mechanical equipment. This has been

observed by parapsychology researchers during experiments

and by psychics when attempting to record a psychic session.

T he reason why is not known. These energies are very subtle

and not SC ient ifi cally understood . Therefore we cannot predict

what they will do . Neverthe less, I have personally been witn ess

to this phenomenon .

This first t ime was at a seance, and it was with my tape

recorder! It worked perfectly before th e seance . I tested it and

retested it, then placed it in the cent er of the circle. I had been

warned by others that it would not record the event, but I

didn't believe it. Sure eno ugh, the machine did not pick up th e

sounds of th e seance , except for some barely aud ible chant ing.

After the seance, the tape recorder worked perfectly again!

O the r incidents during my career include t wo cl ients com

plain ing to me th at the readings th ey had recorded did not

come out clearly on the tape. All they heard was a muffled blur.


Their rape recorders worked perfectly before the consulta

tions began . The clients tested them. But this is what can hap

pen when an int ense psychic level is reached during a session .

Having been informed by other readers of the risks of

recording a session, I had advised both of these individuals to

take notes instead of record . They both thought th at would be

too much of a task, and insisted on taping. Of course they were

angr y with me when it didn't work. Now I insisl clients take

notes or record at their own risk.

Can spells be cast with Tarot ca rds? By arranging the ca rds in

certa in combinations tha t pictorially suggest the desired situa

tion, it is theoret icall y possible to cast a spell with Tarot cards.

This is to be done in conjunc t ion with ot he r tools such as can

dies and/or incense, ce rtai n inca ntations, as well as strong in

tense creative visualizatio n.

But the cards, candles, ince nse, inca ntations, and ot he r tools

are really nothing more tha n props used to set the frame of

mind of the subconsc ious. These tools, in themselves, do not

inc rease the effect iveness of the spell. The real key to cast ing

spells is rarely revealed in books.

In answer to th e question How can I already know my future!

I explain how everyth ing man ifests in the astra l world first and

the n happens on the physical plane where we live. So in order

to effectively cast a spell, regardless of which tools you use, the

desired event must take place on the astra l level first. And, how

is that possible ?

Keep in mind that emoti ons and feelings exist on the astra l

level. When performing any kind of ritual magick the feeling that

accompanies the desired situa t ion must be a part of the ritual.

For instance, if you are cast ing a spell to win $50,000,000 in the


lottery, you must fee! as if you have already won that

$50,000,000. You must fee! as if it has already happened. Try th is

exe rcise. Pause for a few seconds. Then ask yourself how you

would feel if you had just found out you had won the lottery.

What would you be thi nking ! You probably had a great feeling

of soaring joy. Then you started thi nking of all the thi ngs you'd

do with the mone y. This is the key to effective creat ive visuali

zat ion and making spells wo rk, The emotion must be there. You

must maintain that emoti on constantly. Then it will rake root

on the astral level, and eventually on the physicaljear rh plane.

Try another example. How would you fee! if Mr. Right said he

was in love with you and asked you to marty h im. You'd proba

bly have a wonderful warm feeling. It is that feeling that must

accompany a love spell in orde r for it to work . You must feel as

if you are being loved by Mr. Right. This is a great occult secret!

It is the emotion that sets th ings into mot ion. But performing

spells always comes with a price that is usually unexpected , be

cause you can inadvertently be unleashing energies that lead to

unforeseen consequences and unanticipated side-effects. Becareful what ym<wish for. ym<just might gel il. This is one of the

down sides you must be aware of.

T he othe r drawback is that you can never contro l when the

spell will actually take effect or happen. As I have already ex

plained, let George take care of the timing. Whenever it hap

pens, it ha ppens. I personally have never tried to cast a spell

with Tarot cards, but I know of three expe riences from ot he r

people . Based on what they told me, if it works, the re is a pr ice

to be paid.

Elizabeth was an English gal l met wh ile living in Spain . Af

ter a vio lent incident, she confided in me how she had cast a

love spell on her Spanish boyfriend. Francisco. (By the way,


love spells are the most commonly done and the most risky.

This is an excellent example of how uncerta in th e outcome

can be.) Elizabeth had been living in Spain when she met Fran

cisco. They went together for awhile; then . he broke up with

her. Sad and despondent. she returned to England. still in love

with him.

She decided to tum to rnagick, and arranged three Tarot

cards in a certa in order. The Lovers in th e middle to indicate

th e desired situation. The Knight of Pentacles on one side. to

represent Francisco. And the Q ueen of Cups on the other side

to symbolize herself. A long with th at she had a special love

ring designed. The setti ng was made of copper. the stone was

green. Green is the color of Venus. the planet of love. The ring

was made during a favorable time of the planet Venus. when

love aspects were harmonious. Co nstant ly wearing th e mag

ickal ring. she meditated on the Tarot card arrangement for

severaI months.

Then Francisco came to England to get her. Together they

returned to Spain and took up residence in a rooming house.

Everythi ng was fine for a year and a half. Then Elizabeth acc i

dent ally got pregnant. She wanted to go to England to have an

abort ion. But Francisco. being a native of a strict Catho lic

count ry. had strong objections to abort ion. He was also an al

coholic. O ne night in a drunk en rage. he beat Elizabeth beyond

recogniti on. She came running over to my apartment and

stayed for a few days. Then she went back to Francisco, who

beat her up again. Finally [ managed to get her on a plane back

to England . where she took care of th e matter.

Right before she got on the plane. she gave me the love ring

suggesting it might help with the problems I was having with


my Spanish boyfriend. But having observed her predicament. [

was too terrified to wear it.

This is a classic example of a spell th at worked like a charm.

but with an added unimaginable twist. lr was definitely not happily ever after.

A nother woman recounted to me how she cast a Tarot spell

on a man she had yearned to meet. Jane had a crush on an up

and-co ming acto r. She used a grouping of four Tarot cards: The

Lovers. T he Sta r (to symbolize his rising star). th e 3 of Cups (to

symbolize meeting in a social situation) . and the 9 of Pentacles

to represent herself. In the middle. she placed his photograph .

Togeth er with th at. she d id a candle burn ing ritual: a green

candle for love. a pink candle for passion. and a red candle for

lot"making. She spent an intense week putting ene rgy into cast

ing th is spell.

Seven months passed and nothing happened. Remember.

things happen on thei r own time. All of sudden a door ope ned.

She met someone who agreed to make the introduction . This

offer was also accompanied by reliab le informat ion th at her

dream lot"r had a serious drug problem. Suddenly she saw him as

a dreadful nighnnare. This was not what she had expec ted.

Wisely. she declined the invitation . But for months thereafter

she was consumed with anger. She had invested energy and

time into this. only to be miserably disappointed. She vowed

never to cast anot her spell again.

These stories have been about love spells-without a doubt.

the most hazardous. The next story is about job security. Even a

spell like th at comes with a price.

[ met Betsy many years ago th rough out mutual interest in

Tarot cards. She knew a lot about th em. and one night we


stayed up late giving each othe r readings and exchanging infor

mation.

Betsy had an exce llent job in a public relations firm. She had

a large office. a good salary, and a substantial chunk of power.

After five years with th e company, th ings began to sour. There

was talk of a total reorganization and her job was on th e line.

She thought a Tarot spell would easily remedy th e problem.

She selected several ca rds to portray the situation she wanted

to maintain . The Magician 10 represent the power she had; the

10 of Pentacles 10 represent the company and its conti nued

prosperity; th e Queen of Pentacles for her significato r: and she

threw in th e 4 of Pentacles, the Ace of Pentacles, and the Ace

of Wands to complete th e storv, An ardent practitioner of pos

itive th ink ing and creative visualization , she meditated on this

configuration every night and visualized herself sitt ing in her

office with th e feeling that everyth ing was all right . And so it

was for one year.

Then everything exploded. Her company merged with a

larger firm and a house-cleaning began. T he inevitable was un

preventable and more brutal th an could possibly ever have been

imagined. Betsy was forced to find another job. She rold me she

learned a valuable lesson from thi s. There are some things in life

you cannot control and at times it is bette r to let go of your de

sire and trust in the judgment of the infinite intelligence.

Wh y do fortune-tellers wear shawls! A frivolous question I

am occas iona lly asked. usually by men. However, I have a seri-

ous answer.

Obviously th is style was taken from the Gypsies, who were

the first real Tarot farnme-teUers. But I have ano ther theory that

deserves some consideration. Man y psychi cs, includi ng myself,


frequently feel ch illed or quite cold when giving readings, and

trance mediums have not iced that there is a ch ill in the air

when spirits are present. Even parapsychologists have observed

and docu mented th is. When testing mediums and a manifesta

tion (or spirit presence) is about 10 take place, there is an ex

tremely no ticeable drop in temperature th at can also be

measured. Although this is not scientifica lly understood, nor

eve n a proven fact, it is a consis tent observation. Furth ermore,

according 10 occu ltists, all astra l world phenomena appea r to be

acco mpanied by lowered temperatures. Since reading Tarot

cards does invo lve generating psychic energy, thi s could be a

hypoth esis which accounts for the bigcmUand the necessiry of

a warm shawl.

Is it really bad luck to buy a Tarot deck for yourself and must

you wait for someone to give it to you as a l(ift! I have heard

thi s too, and I thi nk it is noth ing more than a silly superst it ion.

I have no idea where it came from. My belief is that if you are

drawn to Tarot cards, you sho uld be enjoying th em, regardless of

whether you purchase the m yourself or receive them as a gift.

I did not receive my cards as a gift. I was fascinated by th em

and bought my first deck in 1967. Perhaps I was guided to do so.

Whatever, I can truthfullv say th is has never brought me any

bad luck; instead, the exact opposite! Tarot ca rds have added

fulfillment and joy to my life. In all my years, I met only one

woman who told me she had received the cards as a gift. She

confessed to having no int erest in them whatsoever, and th ey

remained unused, stored in an att ic.

\Vhy do some people say Tarot ca rds are evil and th e devil's

work! Proh ibition against playing cards (including Tarrochi)

10 2 THE 2-HOUR TAROT TUTOR

became common in man y parts of Europe almost as soon as the

cards appeared on the scene (around th e mid-fourteenth cen

tury). The cards themselves were not deemed bad but th ey were

used by man y people for gambling, and that was thought to be

immoral or the dedI's world Ironi cally it was th e Church th at

initi ally banned th e cards, not th e Gra nd Inquisitors.

When th e Inquisitions began around the th irteent h cent ury,

about one hundred years prior to the appearance of th e cards,

occult ism of any kind was branded as ev il and heret ical. How

ever, Tarot cards were not lumped int o the occult category un

til people started using them for fortune-telling. (This was most

likely started by the Gypsies upon th eir arrival in Europe

around th e end of th e fourteenth century or early fi fteent h

century.) The Ca tholic Church at one time banned Tarot

ca rds, but now no longer forbids th em.

Nevertheless many rel igious fundamentalists, espec ially in

specific geograph ical local it ies, st ill hold to th is ant iquated

thinking and vehemently condemn Tarot cards, astro logy, and

th e occult claiming th ese esoteric pursuits are the work of !hedevil. These fundamentalists can be quit e fanat ical and aggres

sive. While readin g Tarot cards at a small co llege in Kentucky,

two students stood over me praying, insistin g I had devils in me.

(You can't make th is stuff up!) A nother college in the South re

ce ived complaints by a few students about my appearance on

the campus, because it was th reatening to their religious be

liefs. I went on with th e show, even though the turnout was

small; and, fortunatel y, th ere was no heckling nor disrupti on .

I have also been personally cha llenged with questions specif

ically about The Devil , the fi fteenth card in th e deck, because

of the inverted penta gram. This is said to be the sign of the de-


vil. "... a reversed pentagram, with rwo points upwards, is a

symbo l of the Devil and att racts sin ister forces because it is up

side down . .." writes Richard Ca vendish in his book, The BlackAm. Although, I view thi s as an inn ocuous symbol that has no

more power than one chooses to give to it, rel igious opponents

of the occult have suggested to me that it really does have

malevolent power. This small minority of ultra-right-wing fun

damentalists and evangelical Christians actually believe the de

vil is a real externa l force, tempting everyone to do wrong.

Therefore, according to th ese fundamentalists, it is the in

verted pentagram (Jrecisely th at makes Tarot ca rds evil because

it is evidence that the devil, h imself, comes with the cards!

I was stunned by the idea. It's ludicrous. How can anyone se

riously believe in this modem age of science that a deck of

cards made of paper and ink are bad because of a symbol?

The devil is traditionally defined as an abstrac t conce pt.

Richard Cavendish writes in The Black Am, "The Devil is a

legacy of th e widespread hum an tend ency to attribute the ori

gin of evil to non -human influences." T he th inking in our cur

rent times is th at putting blame on th e dev il is a convenient

excuse for avo iding personal responsibility for one's actions.

Yet , there are those who still strongly hold to what I call the Inquisition menuility.

Flip Wilson , a brilliant comedian who is no longer with us,

created a hil arious cha racter, G eraldine. A zany woman, she

blamed the devil for everyth ing she did wrong.

"The dev il made me do it!" Flip Wilson would say in a high

pitched voice. The audience would roar with laughter.

I have always looked at th e card of The Devil as the opposite

of The Lovers, the sixth card. To me, The Lovers suggests in-


nocence. But The Devil suggests greed, jealousy, pride, and en

slavement ro materialism; negatives indeed, but not Lucifer,

h imself.

Eden G ray writes of thi s cont roversial card in A CompleteGuide to the Taror, "The re is no Devil excep t of man's own cre

ation, and here it is evident th at men are cha ined by th eir own

wrong choices." One can choose ro take the high road or the lowroad.

Returning to the Inquisit ions, as soon as th ey started, occult

secrets began disappearing. Perhaps their keepers decided ro

take them ro their graves out of fear or tightened up th e oral

tradition deliberately to make th ese secrets less available. Th is

may be what has caused our spiritual evolution ro lag so far be

hind our materi al evolution . Now, more than a th ousand years

since the first Inquisitions were held, man y people are disillu

sioned with institution alized religion and looking ro New Age

studies for spiritua l fulfillment. Thus, despite the crit ics' con

demn ation, the occult is no longer underground .

Do you have to be psych ic to read Tarot cards? Let's clarify

one thing first. We are all born with psychic ability. As people

grow up man y tend ro suppress th ese psych ic powers because we

are taught ro trust only our reason and ro accept only informa

tion that is perceived through our fi ve senses.

Tarot ca rds help us ro get back in rouch with our inherent

psych ic ability. Most people will definit ely notic e an increase

in th eir imuiril'flpsychic abilities after working with the Tarot

for only a very sho rt time. Granted some will be more adept

th en othe rs; but, nevertheless everyone has the ability ro a de

gree.


Ca n you pick stocks with Tarot cards? Someone called me

from Chicago asking me ro do this. At th at time the stock mar

ket was so volatile I would have rold everyone who asked me

th at question not ro even invest in srocks, no matt er how th ey

were selected! (Even at the time of writin g thi s book, th e

volati lity of the stock market must be causing invesrors severe

heart burn.)

However regardless of the volati lity, even when there is a

strong bull market I would advise against the use of Tarot cards

for picking stocks or any investment, for tha t matt er.This is be

cause of th e emot iona l sensit ivity of Tarot cards. If one is anx

ious about an investment (and who isn'r i) thi s can affect the

reading, making the inte rpretation unclear.

I was once asked ro give a reading about th e perfornwnce of a

parti cular stock. It wasn 't doin g well and a gent leman wanted

ro know if he should sell it. I asked him ro pick three cards. He

pulled the Wheel of Fortune, The Tower, and 5 of Pentacles. It

didn't make sense. I asked him ro pick anothe r three cards for

clarificati on . He pulled The Sun, 3 of Swords, and 5 of C ups. I

suggested the stock might suddenly go up, but th ere would be

quick profi t taking and th en it would suddenly go down again. I

further suggested it would be a good idea to keep a close eye on

it and perh aps ro put a stop Umit on it. That means when a stock

reaches a certa in price, going up or down, it is activated and

later auromatica lly executed (sold) at tha t price or even better.

This gives the investor down side protect ion . Two weeks later

the invesror ca lled ro tell me th at all of a sudden the stock be

gan to rise. When it reached the price at which he had bought

it, he sold immediately. Apparently other investors had the

same strategy in mind. Quickly the price dropped even lower


than it had been before. The investor did recoup his losses. but

did not make any money on the investment, even though he

had held it for over a yea r and a half.

T his was an unu sual experience with Tarot cards, and the

emot ional stress of the que rent was clearly visible in the cards.

A lthough my interpretation was accurate , I st ill feel that Tarot

cards are an inappropriate too l for stoc k picking.

Man y inves tors are now using astro logy for this purpose and

th ere is indeed a lot of research into the stock IMrket and the

srars. However, while planetary tra nsits can be very hel pful in

determin ing stock market trends, this sho uld never supersede

good old fashioned practical research into the financ ial cond i

t ion of the company.

Ca n you read for someone who is far away? Of course you can

read for someone who is not in your presence. What about all

those psychic hotlines? And nowadays. people are giving read

ings on the Internet. However there is one major problem with

this. Absentee readings, for man yTarot readers and psych ics. can

be extremely dra ining and tirin g. Certa inly they are for me and

other professionals I know. Alth ough why is not understood.

A voice is a vibration that can be picked up on. Nevertheless

I will give a Taro t phone reading only to someone who is an es

tablished client. I feel I have not made a psych ic connect ion

unless I have actually met with someone and given at least one

person-to-person reading. But I will not read for a new client

whom I have never seen . This is my personal style.

Many Tarot card readers have great success with absentee

readings. This is another issue you are going to have to expe ri

ment with. Meditating on the querent before the readi ng, ab

sentee or in person , is quite hel pful with the tune-in .


When reading Tarot cards. should a glass of wate r be set on

the table to protec t against negat ive energies? This is a prac

t ice I have heard of but I've never actua lly seen anyone doing

it. The theory is tha t the water absorbs any negat ive ene rgies

that may be floating around or emitt ing from the querent, Wa

ter is the psychic element and symbolic of the subco nscio us

mind. So th is may indeed have some validity.

Personally, I think it is more important to drink water or

ot he r fl uids when reading. Psych ic readings can be very dra in

ing and fluids may help keep you r ene rgy up. Some peop le say

th e fluids keep the aura clear.

I do encourage you to try different techniques to sec what

works for you. The glass of wate r may very well be a useful ad

junct to your Tarot readin gs. Anot her suggest ion is to bum in

cense. The smoke is supposed to have a calming effect on the

environment and this makes it easier to center yourself and

tune in.

Do you have to believe in Tarot cards for them work? Indeed,

belief is very powerful, but Tarot cards work whether or not you

believe in them . However. it is pointless to try to learn to read

Tarot cards if you do not have an open mind . Your rational

mind and intu itive mind will fight with each othe r like cats and

dogs and littl e or no progress will be made. In order to interpret

the Tarot's symbolism, you must develop a rapport with the

cards. If you keep thinking that there is not h ing to them, you

will never be able to make that connec t ion .

O n the other hand, if you want to have a Tarot read ing-no,

you definitely don't have to believe in them. Your reading can

still be very accurate! I encounter th is many times with men .

They rarely believe in the intuitive arts. However I have read for


many staunch disbe lievers at parti es and, ult imately, they have

had to concede that the read ing was totally insightful. Some of

them even became believers!

Wh en can I become a professional Tarot ca rd reader? Hold

your horses! No rush! T hese things take time. Besides, beinga

psychic [Tarot card reader) is an endless , glamourless, thanklessjob; bur somebody has w do it. Ac tually th at was a line made fa

mous by Dragnet's Detective Joe Friday. He used to say, "You

know that being a policeman is an endless, glarnourless, thank

less job that 's gotta' be done." I've revamped it to describe what

it's really like when you hang out your sh ingle. It's not at all

what you'd expect.

People come to you with a myriad of problems. Troubled and

d istraught, they look for comfort and understand ing and often

want only to vent about a problem. At times you may feel more

like an inexpensive psychiatrist. The release of emot ion defi

nitely has a healing effect, and being a good listener is a part of

the job. Knowing the future th en becomes incidental.

Future-telling is very easy. Dealing with complex human

emotions is a huge cha llenge; and that is really what a profes

sional Tarot card reader does. It is an overwhelming responsi

bility. I was totally unprepared.

O ther times you may feel like a whipping boy because you

will also be consulted by people with extremely deep-rooted

anger issues. In thi s case, you cannot be of any service. Vent ing

I allow but no fighting with th e psych ic. Fighting should be

done with a psych iatr ist.

On occas ion I have suggested a therapist, clergyman, physi

cian, or even an accountant be consulted. When one's life is to

tally out of cont rol, a psych ic should not be consulted. As times


are now more uncertain and chaot ic than ever in OU f human

history, and people are growing unhappier by the day, I have

found it necessary to carefully screen all new inquiries for a

Tarot card reading. Often their expectat ions are totally unreal

istic .

Reading at psychic fairs and fund -raisers are great ways to

learn . (By the way, a psychic fair is great tra ining ground . The

pressure is on and you have to learn {as") A long with that, I

recommend gett ing several years of life experience under your

belt to en hance th e perception of your Tarot ca rd read ings,

conti nue reading spiritual literature, and bone -up on basic psy

chology.

A lthough a practice could supplement your income, in to

day's economy you will never be able to earn enough to live

comfortably unless giving several sessions a day. But thi s can

cause a severe emotiona l drain and quickly lead to complete

bum-oul. Furthermore if the pressure is on to pay th e bills and

thi s is the sole source of revenu e, you may be inclined to com

promise quality for quant ity.

If you are st ill interested in an unconventi onal job thaI's

got!ll' be done, try tak ing out an ad in a small local paper or a

schoo l newspaper. Business cards can be printed up at a neigh

borhood printer, with your phone number only, or else people

will be stopping by without an appoint ment demanding instant

readings.

Always be tactful, gent le, sensitive, and non judgmen ral,

Never tell anyone what to do! Never give advice. Point out the

choices th at can be made and encourage people to make posi

tive changes in th eir lives.

You will hear people's most int imate and persona l secrets;

hence, the consulta tion and what is heard during it are to tally


confident ial. The querent's privacy is 10 be completely re

spected.

A Tarot card reading should be a spiritual healing. Afrer

wards the querent should feel optimistic about facing life's chal

lenges.

A N Y MORE H ELPFU L HI N T S ?

• Here is one I got di rectly from Richard Gard ner. He was

the famous Tarot expe rt in England. I had th e honor of con

sulting him in London during the summer of 1971.Sadly, it was

during the writing of thi s book that I learned he had passed on .

But Richa rd Ga rdner's Tarot inspiration will live forever. Al

though he told me this personally, it is also mentioned in his

book The Tarot Speaks.Before beginning a reading, separate th e cards into piles of

th eir respect ive suits. The easiest way 10 do thi s is to make

five different piles: one for Pentacles, one for Cups, one for

Wands, one for Swords, and one for th e Major Trump s. It is

nor necessary to put them int o numerical order, just separat

ing th e suits is enough. Join th e piles by placin g th e Major

Trumps on th e bot tom, the Pentacles on top of that. th en th e

Cups, th e Wands, and then the Swords. This is the order in

which the elements symbolized by the suits fall: 1-earth/Penta

c1es; 2-water/Cups; 3- firel Wands; 4- air /Swords. However

some people feel th at th e Major Trumps should be placed on

top of th e pile after the Swords. Again. your personal style.

The purpose of this separation is so that the new querent

will not pick up anything from th e previous querent (i.e. , the

previous querent's good or bad luck). This literally clears the

ARE WE HAVING FUN YET? III

deck. Plus I find th at by doing this one or two suits may pre

dominate (even after th e querent has shuffled well ) and th is

helps 10 zero in on the matters at hand .

If you do more than one spread for a querent, it is not neces

sary to repeat this separating procedure for each spread. Once

in th e beginning is enough. After th at , the que renr's vibes will

be in the cards.

For those of you who read at part ies and special events, as I

do, th is procedure is much too time-consuming to do for each

person. So I suggest doing th is only for private, in-depth read

ings.

• Take note of th e predominat ing suits in a spread. This is

usually indicat ive of th e main theme of the reading. Severa l

Cups, th e issue is love or relationships; Cups and Swords, love

and stress; Pentacles and Wands, money and work.

• Lnokat the cards and saywhatyou see. Say what you see, not

what you thi nk. No thinking allowed! In th e introduction 10 Eu

gen Herrigel's Zen in theArt of Archery, Daisetz T. Suzuki says:

"As soon as we reflect , deliberate and conceptualize, th e origi

nal unconsciousness is lost and a thought interferes." In other

words, thinking interferes and by doing so one can lose the con

nection 10 th e subconscious mind. That is why I urge you to be

sponta neous. Let it flow. Look at the pictures and say what

comes 10 your mind.

Suzuki also talks about childlikeness. "Childlikeness has 10 be

restored. . . ." Be childlike when look ing at th e symbols. Allow

them 10 play on your subconscious mind. Make up a story about

what you see. You will be surprised at how accurate you are.

When you look at th e ent ire spread, if an impression


bounces up off th e cards, go with it-even if it seems illogical.

Wh en you transcend logic, you automat ically tap into your in

tuition . Go with what you feel.

• If the reading seems vague and unclear, focus on the tan

gible positions: th e future, home, the outcome. Then build on

that . If you still see confusion, be frank with the querent, She

could have many things happening in her life and actua lly beconfused about issues. Ask her to reshuffle th e cards. If con fu

sion still continues, wait twenty-four hours. Then do ano the r

reading.

• If you get stuck, cover a card with your hand, close your

eyes, clear your mind , take a deep breath, and relax. Go with

the impressions th at immedi ately come to your mind .

• Always trust what you see in the cards, even if th e querent

disagrees. I cannot count the man y times I have made a predic

tion and the querent would swear it was an impossibility. In a

few days, weeks, or months, I'd get a call telling me it happened

exactly as I had said. Always go with what you see or feel.

If you feel you arc not connecting, continue to follow your in

tuiti on, regardless. Years ago, I used to work at parti es for so

ph isticated Park Avenu e socialites, ladies who lunch . I

remember my cronies and I would th ink we were not connect

ing because th ey (the socialites) would stare at us blankly, giv

ing us absolutely no facial feedback. (This was th e face-lift

crowd. ) Once I complained to the hostess about th e lack of re

action from her guests. Her answer: "They th ink th ey're above

it. They're raving about the readings!"

The moral of th is sto ry is, regardless of lack of feedback, go


with what you see or feel. One excep tion, however, is if the

querent's eyebrows are raised high on her forehead; maybe th en

you should reorient your readin g.

• Always keep an open mind when you look into someone's

cards. You never know what you'll see. NeWTjudge a book by its

C"''CT. Things aTen 't always what they seem to be. Don't be sur

prised by anyth ing.

• Experiment. Try different spreads and different tech

niques. See what works for you. Put your style and persona lity

int o your method.

• And another reminder: Take dated notes of th e cards th at

come up in th e readings.

Wh at if I have more questions ? If you have more questions,

my web site is www.wilmacarroll.com.My e-mail address is

[email protected] . I will endeavor to answer all in

quiries.

IV

THB SBVBN T R I p LBTS O R

T HB SBVBN S I STB RS SpR BAD

T H E L EGACY O F POLLY'S T EA R OOM

Many years ago, I used to visit an elderly European woman who

read in a Philadelphia tea room. The Countess, as she was

known, had lived a life th at rivaled the drama of a Verdi opera

combined with th e excite menr of a James Bond film. She had

been a spy dur ing World War Il, had seen a close friend killed

by th e ene my. and claimed her mother had helped found the

famed L'Institute de Metaph ysiques in Paris.

Highly spiritual and a powerful c1airvoyanr , the Counress

used playing cards, not Tarot cards. I would watch her closely as

she skillfully laid out th e cards in the Seven Triplets Spread.

Her accuracy and her insight were my inspiration.

Although th is spread was designed for reading with playing

cards, I have adapted it for the Tarot . This is a slightly more ad

vanced exercise. It teaches how more derailed information can

be gleaned from a spread by using more cards. reading sunounding


canis and noting the predominatin g suit or suits. It also prepares

you for the more complex spreads. The Seven Triplets Spread

uses twen ty-one cards in groups of threes (See Diagram 4.1).

I . Shuffle and cut th e cards as usual and then lay th em out

faceup following Diagram 4.1. Make one pile at a time of

three cards going from left to right . Pay attention to the cardsas you lay them OU I! Now is !he lime to start gelling your nose oUl

of the book and in to these cards.

1. Take a quick note of th e predominating suit or suits in

the spread, if any.

) . Focus on th e center or middle card of each pile.

4. After a quick focus on the cente r card , note th e cards sur

rounding the center card, th e card to the right of th e cente r

card, and the card to the left of the cente r card . These add

to the interpretation.

5. The surrounding cards can be interpreted as influences

around th e center card or actual events or people. They add

more information . This is very similar to the first exercise,

the E-Z Three Ca rd Spread. Each card adds a bit of informa

tion to the interpretation .

When looking at the th ree cards, note if there is a symbol

in one card, that reminds you of a symbol in th e ot her card.

Look for a similar theme in each card, then link th em. It's

like playing connect thedots .

6. If one of the surrounding cards appears to be more out

standing than th e center card, go with your intuition and fo

cus on what hi ts you as the strongest. Go with what pulls you

....

u....

u....

s:...,DIAGR..... 4 .1

Snoen T" pkts or Snoen Sisten Spread

u....

u....

u....


in immediatel y. If only two of the cards strike you, giving

clear information, go with that and disregard the other card.

7. Let your imagination play with th e images. This gener

ates the intuit ion. Look at the cards and say what you see; and

incorporate th at with the trade secret: Look at the~ picture(s) .

Let's look at a sample pile (See Diagram 4.2). The 3 of

Wands, The World, the 6 of Swords. The World is th e cente r

card, so the focus could be travel. The 3 of Wands to the left

could be business at a distance. The 6 of Swords to the right

could be travel by boat or by air (Swords are symbolic of th e air

element). Tying it all togethe r, distant travel for business by

boat or air over water (an airplane flying over water) . This is

one of the many possible interpreta tions . It is ult imatel y up to

yOUT intuition.

Let's look at a sample of an ent ire Seven Sisters Spread. This

DI AGRAM 4 .2

Sampk Pik of Snen Tripku Spread

THE SEVEN TRIPLETS OR THE SEVEN SISTERS SPREAD 119

reading was given to Peggy. A young woman of twenty-six years,

she was already on her way up the corporat e ladder.

Lay th e cards out accordingly, th en follow along with th e in

terpretat ion .

Pik I-From left to right-8 of Pentacles, The Star, 2 of

Pentacles.

Pile 2-From left to right-4 of Wands, Death, 10 of Penta

cles.

Pile J-From left to right-6 of Cups, The Hanged Man, 10

of Wands.

Pile 4-From left to right- 7 of Pentacles, Ace of Pentacles,

6 of Pentacles.

Pile 5-From left 10 right-Queen of Swords, The Empress,

Knight of Swords.

Pile 6-From left to right-The Tower, Wheel of Fortune,

The Fool.

Pile 7-From left to right- 6 of Wands, Judgement, 8 of

Wands.

Now for the interpretation . A quick overview of th e cards

shows all th e suits are represented. There does not appear to beone suit in parti cular th at predomina tes. This immediately says

th at th ere may be several themes going on here.

Return ing to Pile I: I find The Star in the middle is the fo

cus. This could mean recognition; the 8 of Pentacles, work or

recogn ition in work; the 2 of Pentacles, a littl e more mon ey

comes with the recognit ion. This could be interpreted as a pro

motion in work, with an increase in salary.

Moving to Pile 2: I am following my intu ition on thi s one,

connec ting the dots. The first pile spoke of a promot ion . T he 4


of Wands could be an office. But th e Death card says it's new,

and the 10 of Pentacles adds a plwh fl avor to it. With a promo·

tion , logically, can come a new and nice r office.

Looking at Pile 3: This looks like an ent irely different th eme

to me. T he 6 of Cups is a friend, but the 10 of Wands is heavy

responsibility. The Hanged Man is a martyr. My inte rpretation

is th at a friend of Peggy's cries excessively on her shoulder.

Peggy may feel overburdened and taken advanta ge of in th is

friendship.

On to Pile 4: The Pen tacles are, obviously, money. My int u

ition tells me th is relates to the very first th eme (Pile 1) about

gett ing a raise. My interpretation is that Peggy is contemplat

ing making some investments per the 7 of Pentacles. The Ace

of Pentacles indicates perhaps real estate investments or long.

term secure investments. The 6 of Pent acles shows she is talk

ing to someone about financial advice.

Down to Pile 5: T his looks like anot her very different

the me. The Empress in the center hits me strongly as

Peggy's mother. The Knight of Swords te lls of an argument

with her moth er. The Queen of Swords adds to the descrip

tion of th e moth er, wh ich is difficult. Peggy heartil y agreed.

Over to Pile 6: The Wh eel of Fortune pulls me in firs t. The

Tower indica tes the unexpected. The Fool can indica te riskybusiru?ss. I am uncertain how to concretely interpret th is. But I

feel it augurs something lucky and unexpected . That is as far 1

can see with th is pile. Nevertheless I so:y what I see, even if it is

symbolically speaking and not necessarily specific ; eventually it

will make sense.

At the bottom is Pile 7: I predict a lot of paperwork and meso

sages awaiting Peggy when she gets back to her office.

At the conclusion of the reading, Peggy confirmed the in-

THE SEVEN TRIPLETS OR THE SEVEN SISTERS SPREAD 12\

sights. She had gotten a promotion with a substantial increase

in salary. This also came with a new office. Not a come r office,

but two doors down from one. That brought her closer to the

corporate power structure. She also had an upcoming meetin g

with a financial advisor in order to do some long. term financialplanning.

Peggy admitted to feelin g taken advantage of by a childhood

friend who constant ly cried on her shoulder. And a recent ar

gument with her mother had been unsettl ing. Peggy feared an.other confrontation.

Wh en she returned to her office, there were mound s of ca n.

tracts on her desk awaiting her approval. Peggy called me to

complain vehement ly about that. She was angry because it was

accurate. Sometimes you actually get blamed for accuracy! Be.inga psychic isa rlumk1ess job. . . .

Later that evening Peggy called again. She had forgotten

about a lott ery ticket purchased early th at day, a risk practkalPeggy never before had taken. She won $ 1OO!

v

THB INfORMATION

SUpBR HIgHWAY

ADVANCED S PREADS AN D LlTILE E XTRAS

"I need more information!" cried Ronnie.

A h igh school senior, Ronnie began reading Tarot cards in

her sophomore year. Working only with the basic Ce ltic Cross

Spread, she frequent ly gave readings ro her friends. having

earned a reputation for incredible accuracy.

As she prepared to participate in a fundraiser for her class

graduation parry, Ronnie told me she wanted to get more infor

mat ion from the cards.

Indeed lots of extra information can be seen in the advanced

spreads. There are hundreds of soph isticated and unusual

spreads that have survived the ages. Remember, wh ich ones

you use depend on your data needs, time constraints, and per

sonal taste. Here are several I have collected over the years.


THE ADVANCED CELT IC CROSS SPREAD

I. Shuffle and cut the cards as usual. Then lay them out in

the tradi tional Celtic Cross Spread.

a. Go to Position 6 which represents the future (before you)

and place anot her card to th e right of th e card th at is already

there. Go to Position 7 (you ) and place another card ro the

right of the card in th at posit ion. Do the same with Position 8

(home. friends. and environment) and position 10 (culmina

tion) .

) . Rerum again to Position 6 and place anot her card ro the

right of the two cards already there, You now have th ree cards

in th at position . Repeat the same procedure in Positions 7. 8.

and 10 (See Diagram 5.1).

You now have the Ce ltic Cross Spread with a rouch of th e

Seven Sisters Spread.

Interpret th e cards in th e groups of three by focusing on the

cente r card first (or whichever card strikes you as the

strongest). th en th e two surrounding cards. Project what you

see in those cards into the positions in which they fall. Keep in

mind. the cards th emselves ultimately transcend th e positions

in which they fall. If you have difficulty remembering th e

meanings of the spreads' positions. focus only on the cards.

Here again. the same rules of interpretation apply: Look at thecards and Sll'J what )'Ollsee. Try ro go for the OI!eTaU picture(s). Bespontaneous. Do not get caught up in thinking. If you get a feel.

THE INFORMATION SUPER HIGHWAY 125

D rIO_..

D-.

rIO- ,

D! D _.-.

rIO-.

D _ ._.rIO-,

DIAGRAM 5.1

Advanced Celtic Cl'OSS Spf'ead

ing by look ing at th e cards. no matter how irrational. go with it.

In fact. by now you are probably learning to feel the cards. Gowith th e feeling.

Some Tarot readers suggest that you build the th ree groups

of cards for every position in the spread. Personally. I do not

like this procedu re. I think it is easier ro pur the emphasis on

the more tangible positions. However. feel free to experimentand see what works for you.


THE HOROSCOPE SPREAD

The Horoscope Spread is actually based on th e astrological

horoscope. The positions in this spread correspond with the in

terpretations of th e houses of the horoscope. The houses of the

horoscope represent areas of life.

Starting from the left side going counte rclockwise, make a

circle with twelve cards (See Diagram 5.2). Place a 13th card in

the cente r of th e spread.

Interpret the cards in the context of th e meanings of the

houses in which th ey fall. These mean ings could fill a book.

Here, I am giving you very concise explanations with sample

interpretat ions. For more in-depth analyses, a book on basic as

trology is useful.

FIRST HOUSE-The personality of the que rent, the envi ron

ment or how others see the querent , appearance or image tha t

is projected to th e world, th e beginning of a matt er. For exam

pie, the 5 of Wands in th is position may mean th e querent is

competi t ive or athletic, or others see the querent as manipula

tive. The Page of Swords in th is position may mean the querent

has a bad temper or is impulsive.

SECOND HOUSE-Money, possessions, earn ing power, financial

affairs, values, and the querenr's sense of self-worth. The 9 of

Pent acles in th is posit ion may mean th e querent has expensive

tastes, or is a high-maint enance woman.

THIRD HOUSE- Neighbors, neighborhoods, relat ives, siblings,

day. to-day activities, communica tions, short journeys, meso

GDfG l GJII L

GJl W I

~! ~! G !

~! GJ!

~!1

C:Ol ~~y

N ..

.a ~

GJ!~ :I:~ ~s i-


sages. phone calls. and gossip. The 7 of Swords in th is posit ion

may mean a thi ef or robberies in th e neighborh ood.

FOURl11 HOUSE-Home. family. father. the end of th e matter.

The 8 of Pentacles in thi s position may mean repair work being

done in th e home.

FIFTH HOUSE-Romance. love affairs.children. pregnancy. vaca

tions, games and amusements, self ..expression, creativity, artistic

ability. investments. gambling. speculation. and cats. The Her

mit in th is position may mean looking for love (in all the wrong

places). The High Priestess here may mean a secret lover.

SIXTH HOUSE- Health. work. pets (except cats) . employees.

tenants. servants. uncles. aunts. The Moon in th is position may

mean a healt h condition or upset stomach caused by stress. In

astrology the moon symbolizes emotional needs. In the Horo

scope Spread. The Moon (and/or The Sun) intensifies th e posi

tion in which it falls. Therefore. th is could mean that the health

and emotional state of the querent are in some way intertwined.

SEVENl11 HOUSE-Partners (personal and/or professional).

spouse, marriage, business contac ts, cl ients. open enemies,

agents. grandparents. outcome of legal matters. legal advice.

lawyers. The Knight of Swords in this position may mean an

argumentative spouse or client or an argument with a partner.

The 4 of C ups falling here may mean a fanUISy relationship.

EIGHl11 HOUSE-Manner of death. sex. taxes. other people's

money. credit . insurance. partn er's money. inheritances. wills.

surgery. values. spiritual rebirth. psychotherapy. The 6 of Pen-


racles in thi s position may mean talk ing to someone about bor

rowing money. The 6 of Cups in th is house may mean a rela

tionsh ip based on mutually shared values.

NINTH HOUSE-Education. travel. long distance journeys. for

eign count ries. legal matters. law. science. psychology. publish

ing. horses. the clergy. th e church or religious institutions.

grandchildren. in-laws. higher mind activ it ies (spiritu ality. phi

losophy. religion) . The Sun in thi s posit ion may mean educa

tion gives the querent a feeling of confidence. In astrology. the

sun symbolizes th e ego. Remember. when falling in any posi

tion in this spread. The Sun (and/or T he Moon ) intensifies rhe

significance. For th e querent, perhaps educat ion and the ego

are in some way intertwined. This is where rhe querent shines!

TENl11 HOUSE-Career. profession . fame. reputation. em

ployer. judges. moth er. The Star in thi s position may mean

tecognition in career. The Ace of Cu ps in this house may mean

a message about a new job opportunity.

ELEVENl11 HOUSE-Friends. acquaintances. groups of people.

clubs. organizations. stepchildren. foster children. adopted

children. money from career. hopes and wishes. The 4 of

Wands in this position may mean visiting the home of friends.

The World falling here may mean a friend who is a foreigner.

TWELFrn HOUSE--Secret enemies . hidden dangers. the sub

conscious. confinement (prisons. hospitals. mental institu

t ions) . restrict ions. self-undoing. seclusion. behind-the-scenes

manipulat ion . The 8 of Swords in thi s position may mean imprisonment.


THE CENTER CARDtrHE THI RTEENTH CARD IN THE MIDDLE

T his card can have a very general interpretation. It can be read

as the outcome of th e situation , the card that ties everythi ng

toge the r, or it merely adds more information to the reading. To

get the most out of it, look ar the card and say what you see.

The Horoscope Sp read gives an enormous amount of infor

mat ion. While I have been preach ing how non-formulaic a

Taro t card reading is, with this spread you are going to go card

by-card, position-by-position. Because these positions are so

sign ificant, this spread may tend to be a lit tle formulaic. Never

theless the same rules of inruition still apply here as well. If you

ger a feeling from the ooeraU picture!s), go with it! And, remem

ber to look at the cards and say whar you see. Plus anothe r re

minder for interpretative purposes is tha t The Sun and/or The

Moon falling in this spread intensifies the importance of the

house in wh ich it falls.

Let's look at a sample of the Horoscope Spread . Lauren gave

this reading to her neighbor Marianne. Lauren could tell that

Marianne was upset abo ut someth ing. After the read ing, she

understood why. Lay the cards out accordingly in the appropri

ate positio ns. Remember, focu s on the cards as you lay them out

and the n follow along with the interpretat ion .

FiTSr Howe-Knighr of Pentacles

Second How e-S of Cups

Third Howe-Ace of Swords

Fourth How e-The lovers

Fifth Howe-6 of Cups

Sixth Howe-The World

Sn>enth Howe-7 of Cups

THE INFORMATION SUPER HIGHWAY 13 1

Eighth Howe- 5 of Cups

Ninth Ho"se--{lueen of Pentacles

Tenrh How e-The Chariot

Elewnth Howe- 5 of Pentacles

Twelfrh Howe- 7 of Swords

Center CardfT'he 13rh Card in rhe Middle- 2 of Cups

With the cards in front of you, not e how Lauren interpreted

rhe Horoscope pread. Start ing at the First House, follow along

seque ntially aro und the circle.

FiTS[ House-Knigh t of Pentacles-s-A man was arou nd Mari

anne. In ot he r words, a man was in the picrure.

Second HOItSe-8 of C ups--Marianne was clearly tu rning

away from someth ing. But th is was the house of money, and

Cups represent emotion. However th e Second House also te lls

abo ut one's values. Lauren's interpretatio n was qu ire astute . She

concluded th at Marianne was turning away from some th ing

that was emotionally empty and unfulfilling. At th e t ime, Lauren

had no idea what she was talking abo ut, Thar happens man y

tim es when giv ing a read ing. You are read ing symbols and they

don' t make sense. Go with what you see, and that is exactly

what Lauren did.

Third HOItSe-Ace of Swords-s-A n e-mail awaited Mari

anne. The T hird House symbolizes commun icat ions.

Fourth H OILSe- The Lovers-c-Love comes to Marianne's

house. S ilently Lauren th ought to herself, this reading was get

ting very int eresti ng and definitely had someth ing to do with a

love problem ; although at th at moment Lauren had no idea

where it was going. She proceeded by look ing at th e cards and

saying what she saw.

Fifth House-6 of C ups--The card of friendship in the


house of romance. Lauren had no idea how 10 int erpret th is. So

she simply stated wha t she was seeing, a friendship and ro

mance.

Sixth House-The World-Here again, Lauren isn't sure

what it means, so she reads it as she sees it: travel and work.

Setoenth House- 7 of Cups-Confusion in a relationship.

Eighth House- 5 of Cups-Lauren is uncertain how 10 inter

pret th is card in the conte xt of the mean ing of th e Eight h

House. This is the most complex astrological house because it

deals with deep transformation. Lauren goes with her intuition,

looks at th e card and says what she sees. There is an emotional

loss.

Ninth House-Queen of Pentacles-Lauren tells Marianne

she will learn new thi ngs about computers. The Ninth House

deals with learning and education.

Tenth House-The Charior-Marianne is moving forward

with her career. While this is a positive indication for Mari

anne's career, because of the othe r cards in the spread, Lauren

knows all is not well.

Elel.'e1lth House- 5 of Pentacles-T his is the house of

friends. Lauren suggests th at Marianne may feel th at a friend

ship has no value.

Twelfth House- 7 of Swords-Th is really throws Lauren off.

The Twelfth House is the house of h idden or secret matters.

The card indicates something sneaky. Lauren tactfully says

what she sees.

The Cen ter Cardrrhe 13th Card in the Middle- 2 of Cups

Lauren sums up the reading by stating there is a romantic rela

tionship in progress!

Afterwards Marianne confirmed what was going on. She had

just started a job in a travel agency, was learning a lot about


computers, and advancing careerwise. T hat aspect of her life

was working well.

However, she did have serious emotional conflicts because of

a perplexing relationship matter. Her best friend's boyfriend had

been pursuing her. In fact , he frequent ly stopped by Marianne's

house and constant ly e-rnailed her. But Marianne wanted 10 be

loyal 10 her best friend. She thought th e loss of her friend

would bring more pain th an th e gain of her best friend's

boyfriend.

Marianne confessed 10 having an att ract ion 10 thi s guy, but

grappled with th e loyalty issue. At orhe r times she vacillated

and was uncert ain if th e friendship was even worth it, regard.

less of th e boyfriend issue. She confided 10 Lauren th at she and

th e boyfriend had gone out three times and sneaked off 10 out

of-the-way places so as not 10 be noticed.

Lauren predicted th at Marianne would ultimately have a

clandestine relationship with thi s guy. She did. It lasted for sev

eral months, unbeknownst 10 Marianne's best friend, then qui

etly fizzled our.

The Horoscope Spread can also be used to answer a specific

question. In astrology, this is known as harary I15trology. It is a

highly specialized technique. A chart is drawn up 10 answer a

specific question based on the time it is asked (of the hour) .

When applying thi s technique 10 th e (Tarot) Horoscope

Spread, each house will give information relating 10 the ques

tion. O r you can refer solely 10 the houses that pertain directly

to th e question and disregard the others.

The best example is a specificquestion about love, which th is

spread is part icularly effective in answering. To ask if you will

have a relat ionship with a certai n individual or the status of a

curren t relationship, refer 10 th e First House {you or your env i-


ronrnent) , Fifth House (the house of romance) and/or the Sev

ent h House (th e house of relationships).

To be even more precise, identify th e intended's significator

first, For instance, if you are interested in a dark-haired man,

twenty-two years old, select the Knight of Pentacles. However,

keep it in the deck. Then pose the question clearly. WiU I have a

romance (or relationship) with this penon! Shuffle, cut, and then

deal out the spread . If the Knight of Pentacles (or the desired

ind ividual's sign ificaror) appears in the First House, he is defi

n itely around you and on the scene; in th e Fifth House or the

Seventh House is also confirmation someth ing is happening. In

the Fourrh House, he is in your home. In the Sixth House,

maybe he works with you. In the Eleventh House, he is a friend

and nothing much will happen beyond th at .

If you want more infonnation from the Horoscope Spread,

th e following is an advanced version . It can also be used to an

swer a specific question, while add ing more details.

~j~&

~j~&

THE ADVANCED HOROSCOPE SPREAD

The Advanced Horoscope Spread involves groups of th ree as

previously learned. Beginni ng with the basic Horoscope Spread

of one card for each position, rerum ro the first card in the First

House. Starr again at the first card and lay ano the r card down to

the right of the filS! card and cont inue doing so in each posi

tion . Go around the spread for a th ird time, ending with th ree

cards in each posit ion including the cente r/middle posit ion (See

Diagram 5.3) . This is the Advanced Horoscope Spread. It is the

Horoscope Spread with a taste of the Seven Sisters Spread.

The same rules of interpretation apply. Focus on th e middle


card or the most outstanding in the pile. Look ar the card.! andsay what you see. Be spontaneous. Remember, your fu1! hunch is

usually your best!

Wh en asking a specific question with thi s spread, it will give

more in-depth information th an th e basic Horoscope Spread.

FIVE-BY-FIVE (MONTH-BY-MONTH) SPREAD

The Five-By-Five Spread is presented with th e compliments of

Lynn M. Buess, author of The Tamt andTransformation. I have

renamed it the Month-By-Month Spread. This is excellent for

future-telling. Begin by shuffl ing and cutting th e cards as usual.

Sta rt ing at th e left , place five cards in a row going from left ro

right.

Above that row, going from left 10 right, lay down another

five cards in a row.Cont inue th is th ree more times making a 10

131 of fi ve rows of five cards each (See Diagram 5.4). By the

way, these direct ions can be altered 10 go from right 10 left if

th at suits you as a reader

The bottom row describes th e past or immediate past. The

next 10 th e bottom row is th e present. The row above th at, th e

middle row, is the following month. The fourth row is the next

month after that. And the fifth row projects three 10 five

mont hs thereafter,

The focus can be the cente r card of each row with th e sur

rounding cards adding more information. If th e center card

does not strike you as th e most significant , go with what you feelor what grabs your attent ion firs t. Another tip: interpret th e

cards th at clearly resonate with you. If some do not make sense,

skip over th em. Do not pause 10 th ink. Be sponta neous. These

sDDDDDThefollowWtC Month

Po......

Past or Immed'-te Past

DIAGRAM 5.4

Fiee- By.Fiw (Month. By-Monl hj SpmJd


spreads are more complex because you are dealing wirh more

cards. But all of these symbols will be bouncing and waking up

your imuitilJelpsychic faculties. Say what comes to your mind in

stant ly. This allows for th e flow of energy to easily cont inue.

Let's look at a sample of the Pive-By-Pive/Monrh-By-Monrh

Spread. Noah, fresh out of college and newly employed at a

public relations firm, gave th is read ing in October 2001 to his

roomm ate, Ross. Lay th e cards out accordingly and follow

along with th e int erpretation . Pay close att ent ion to th e derails

in th e cards. What you see in the cards is really more important

than what you see in the book!

Row One-3 of Pentacles, 5 of Wands, 8 of Pentacles, The

Magician, and 10 of Pentacl es.

Rotv Two- 3 of Cups, 2 of Cups, 9 of Cups, 6 of Cups, and

4 of Wand s.

Row Thret'-Th e Lovers, Death, The Tower, Page of Swords,

and Knight of Swords.

Row Four-Knight of Pen tacles, The Devil, Knight of Wands,

5 of Cups, and Qu een of Cups.

Row Fil·e-B of Wands, The Herm it, The World , 6 of

Swords, and 8 of Cups.

This is Noah's interprerat ion .

RowOne:This was the very recent past. Noah saw th at Ross

had a job th at gave him a lot of power. The job centered

around exercising. Ross had, in fact, gotten a new job the pre

vious month as th e manager of an exclusive health club.

Row Ttoo : This was th e present, in the month of October.

Ross had a girlfriend he very much cared for. Lisa brought him

a lot of joy and happiness. They sha red common interests, had


many friends, and thought about living together some time

down the road.

Row Three: This represents the following mont h, which

would be November. Here Noah is literally projecting into th e

future. He tells Ross that h is old girlfriend will unexpectedly

pop up on the scene. The Lovers next to Death, which is next

to The Tower. Ross's react ion was that th is would be impossi

ble, insisting it would never happen.

T his is where being a psychic becomes frustrating. If a quer

ent knows what will not happen in the future, then th e querent

should know what wiUhappen in the future and should not be

consulting a psychic. Furthermore when a querent starts to dis

agree, it can shut off the psych ic flow. Int ense concentration is

needed, and th e reader should avoid an emotional reaction.

Noah kept his focus. To him th e message was clear and correct.

He also advised Ross, who was by now in complete den ial

about th is forecast, tha t Lisa would find out and be furious.

Noah remained tactful and gent le and conti nued the read ing.

Row Four: This represents the month following November,

which would be December. Noah was still predicti ng. He told

Ross th at to furth er complicate matters, Lisa's old boyfriend

would return. Ross will have a jealous and angry react ion . He

will be crushed by th ese tum of events. He will try to win back

Lisa's affection by giving her a nice gift (Q ueen of Cups). It is

December, time for Christmas presents. By now, Ross's face had

drained of blood. Noah had made a genuine psychic connec

tion. He proceeded .

Row FilJe: This represents three to five months after Decem

ber. Noah's focus was on the cente r card in thi s row, The

World. His prediction: Ross would be so disillusioned with love

he would rake off and travel far away in search of adventure.


Noah told me Ross sat there staring in motionl ess d isbelief.

The next few mont hs revealed how clairvoyant Noah's reading

really was. This was how the even ts transpired.

In November, Ross's old girlfriend joined the health club

where he worked . They were seen talk ing together and some

one told Lisa. She went into a rage. In December, Lisa's old

boyfriend got in touch with her. He said he missed her. Ross

could understand th at because Lisa was a wonderful lady and he

did not want to lose her. He seethed with jealousy, just as Noah

predicted, and bought Lisa an expensive Christmas gift in an

atte mpt to impress her. It didn 't work. Obviously, she was no

longer in the picture.

By mid-February, Ross was not a happy camper. He began

mumbling about join ing the Fore ign Legion . Instead, he quit

his job and headed for Alaska.

These kinds of clear psychic experiences are very possible

with Tarot cards. Noah looked at the cards and responded to

his sponta neous feelings. In that way, he accu rately projec ted

into th e future.

The timing of events can be effect ively determined in th is

spread by calculat ing the querent's num erological persona l

months, and inte rpreting th e meaning of th ose vibra tions in

the context of the cards that fall in a part icular row.

Once you have obta ined the que rent's current personal

month, backtrack or count back by one num ber. This will give

you th e querent 's previous month 's vibra tion or the last per

sona l month. Apply th e querent's last personal month to the

bottom row of th e spread, which represents the past or imme

dia te past. Apply the querenr's current persona l month ro th e

row above, represent ing the que rent 's immed iate situation.

The numerological vibration for the querent's next personal


month is applied to the middle row of cards. It will give you

added informati on of what th e querent may expec t in th at

mont h. Do the same for th e following persona l month, apply

ing it to th e fourth row of cards (the fourth row from th e bot

rom). For the fifth row, which is three to five months into th e

future, you may have to feel which personal month coming up

will have the most impact on th e querent . Here is where int u

ition comes in handy. If th is is too difficul t, simply stick to ap

plying th e person al months to th e first three or four rows or

only th e ones which are easy to interpret . Never spend time

belaboring something you can't figure out. Move on, cont inu

ing with spontaneity.

Meanwhile, let 's check out Ross's personal vibes to see how

they can be factored into thi s reading. The calendar year when

th is reading was given was 200\. The month was October.

Ross's birthday is February 3.

Here's a quick refresher for finding the personal month. Calcu

late the uni,.".sal year by adding the digits of th e current calen

dar year or, in thi s case, the year in which th e readin g was given

(2001) . 2 + 0 + 0 + 1 = 3. The uni"",sal year is a 3. Alwaysreduce

to a single digit, if necessary! Ca lculate the querent's personal yearby adding his birth month and birth day to the uni"",sal year.Ross's birth month is February (2) . His birth day is th e th ird (3)

of February. The un iversal year is a 3. 2 + 3 + 3 = 8. Ross's per

sonal year is an 8. Always reduce to a single digit , whenever neces

sary. Calculate his personal month by adding his personal year to

th e current calendar month. The reading was given in the month

of October (0). 8 + 1 + 0 = 9. Always reduce to a single digit , if

necessary. In Oc rober 2001, Ross was in a 9 personal month.To recap: In 2001 Ross was in an 8 personal year. In October

(2001) , he was in a 9 personal month.


Let's start with the bottom row, which represents the imme

diate past. Since the reading was given in October (when Ross

was in a 9 personal month), the previous month, would be Sep

tember. Ross was in an 8 personal month. However, since he

was also in an 8 personal year, the re is a double u,hammy of the

strong 8 vibrati on . It fits perfectly! In September, Ross had

landed a great job. It paid well (8 is money); gave him some

power (8 is power, leadership, and executive ability); and, inter

estingly enough, 8 is the number of physical exercise.

The second row represents the present, the month when the

reading is given. For Ross, it was a 9 personal mont h . 9 is the

number of romance, candle light, and music. The cards tell of

th e happiness with h is girlfriend. However, 9 is also the number

of endings. This should have sent a red flag up in Noah's mind.

The next row, th e th ird, indicating the following month ,

November, speaks of things TO come. Ross moved into a I per

sonal month, a time of new beginnings. This is where observa

tion of numerological vibrations gives you the experience to

interpret these subtle nuances. For Ross, it meant the beginning

of the end or th e beginning of madness. Anoth er clue is th at he

was moving into a 9 personal year in 2002, a time of endings.

G iven th at , th e trouble with Lisa was probably inevitab le. Yet

it began in November.

Going to the fourth row, December, Ross was in an "I I per

sonal month, a time of stress. Ross had lost the woman he

loved.

T he last row ind icated the next few months. However, by

th is time, Ross was in a completely different personal year vi

bration, the ending vibe, 9. And, that is certa inly what hap

pened . (Remember a personal year can indicate major life

transitions.) Ross's relationship had ended, and he ended his


great job. A 9 year can also ind icate globe-trott ing. Ross took

off in February 2002, an "II personal mon th, a time of stress.

You could easily say, per these vibes, Ross was running away.

Again, intuition and experience will make interpreting the

numerological vibrati ons very easy. Start observing your per

sonal vibrations and those of your friends and family. You will

be amazed by th e insights you get !

ONE-YEAR SPREAD

This is an excellent spread that gives you a quick overview of

an entire year. It consists of twelve cards (plus a significator).

Each card represen ts a month in the year. It is excep tionally ef

fective when incorpora ting th e querent's personal months into

the interpretat ion, and it is very apropos at the beginning of

th e New Year. It can still be used at any time, but it always be

gins with th e current calendar month. So, if you give this read

ing in August, th at month would mark the beginning of th e

spread. In other words, the fi rst position or fi rst card of thi s

spread would be read as August. The second posit ion or second

card would be September, and so on.

Aesthe tically, the pattern of th is spread docs requ ire a signi

ficaror, Choose one that you view as representative of th e quer

ent . Place it in the middle (Sec Diagram 5.5) . Then, start ing at

the top towards the left. while moving downward, diagonally

towards the right, lay out six cards. Follow the same procedure,

start ing at the top towards the right. Lay out six cards moving

downward, diagonally towards the left. You should now have a

cross with th e significator in the middle. The first card is read as

January or the current calendar month; the second card is read

[] 0[] c:J

[]c:J8

GOG c:J

G c:JDIAGRAM 5.5

Qn<.Y tUf S~rt<u1

\


as February or the next month. After reading that diagonal row,

start at the top of the other d iagonal row and read that card as

the sevent h month all the way down to th e last card, which is

the last month or December.

Let's look at a sample of this spread, while also incorporating

the querenr's personal months. This reading was given to

Joshua, a graduate of a prestigious midwestern university.

Joshua had graduated three years earlier with a degree in polit i

cal science. After college, he and two friends migrated to Col

orado, attempting to open a restaurant. It was a dismal failure;

so, with h is tail between his legs, Josh returned to his home

town of Jacksonvi lle, Florida, to be close to his large family. At

th e time of thi s reading he was managing a trend y Ca jun

restaurant.

Josh's birthday is July 22. The readin g was given in 1999.

Here's another formula refresher for finding the personalmonth. Calculate th e uni" ,rsa/ year by adding the digits of the

current calendar year. Always reduce to a single digit! Ca lculate

the querent 's personal year by adding his birth month and birthday to th e uni,.".sa/ year. Always reduce to a single digit! Ca lculate

his personal month by adding his personal year to the current calendar month. Always reduce to a single digit!

At the beginning of the New Year (1999), Josh had ente red

a 3 personal year. Based on th at information, by backtracking, I

easily calculated th at the previous year (the entire calendar year

of 1998) he was in an 11/1 persona l year, mean ing it was stress

ful. (It always helps to take note of where someone is coming

from, because th at helps to understand where one is going.

This is how basic numerology helps to ground a psychic/Taror

reading!) A 3 personal year is much lighter and easier going.

Since the reading was given to him in very early January, the


fi rst ca rd represents the month of January. It is also a 4 personal

month for Josh .

Lay th e ca rds out accordingly, noticing th e details in th e pic

tu res. Try first to read th is spread without look ing in th e boo k.

This will give you the opportu n ity to gradua lly start easing your

nose our of the book. Then follow along with my interpretation

and co mpare that with your int erp retati on. Remember, these

interpretati ons are not written in sto ne; so don't be d isap

po int ed if you co me up with someth ing d ifferent from what I

am suggest ing.

Sign ificator- Knigh t of C ups (I deemed th is ca rd as befit

ting of Joshu a because he has blond hair and blue eyes.)

po' ition I-Januar y-8 of Pentacles.

Po.•ition 2-February- The World.

po, it ion 3-March-3 of Cups.

Po, ition 4- April-4 of Swords.

po, ition 5-May-Wheel of Fortune.

Po,ition 6-June--2 of Cups.

Poslnon 7-July- The Lovers.

po,ition 8-August-5 of Cups.

po,ition 9-September-7 of Wands.

po,ition lO-October-7 of Cups.

Po,ition II - November-IO of Wand s.

po'ition 12-December-6 of Swords.

Here is the interpretati on. I am look ing at th e ca rds, and in

terpreting eac h ca rd as one month of the year, But this time the

numerological vibra tion of the querent's perso na l month is go

ing to be woven into making th e pred iction.

Position I- a 4 personal month: The 8 of Pentacles shows a


man working. 4 is th e number of work . I to ld joshua he would

be hard at work in this month. See how easily it fits!

Position 2-a 5 personal month: The World is obviously long

distance travel. The 5 may also ind icate travel , as well as the un

expected. I informed Joshua that he would probably take an un

expected vacation in Febru ary. Of course he d isagreed.

Position 3-a 6 personal month : T he 3 of C ups looks like a

festive event. 6 is th e number of family. A festive family func

tion. I pred icted there would be a joyous family par ty.

Position 4- a 7 perso na l month: The 4 of Swo rds looks as if

someone is sleeping or tak ing a long rest. A 7 personal month ,

in general, ind icat es th e tim e to rest and restore ene rgy, When

this vibrat ion is in effect , ma ny people do not eve n feel like go

ing out. Instead they stay home and ta ke frequent naps . Or th ey

sit and sta re at the television, without even paying attent ion to

what they are watching. This is a heavy thinking time. I sug

gested in A pril Josh would have to slow down , rest up, and

recharge his baltery .

Position 5-an 8 personal month: The W heel of Fortu ne is

luck. 8 is money. C learly, this look ed like luck with money.

Position 6-'1 9 persona l month: T he 2 of C ups is a relat ion

sh ip; but , 9 is a time of endings. And that is exactly what it

looked like-the ending of a relat ionsh ip. I eased int o this one

because it is sensit ive. However Joshu a did co nfide that the re

lati onship with h is girlfriend was d icey and a breakup would

not surprise him.

Position 7-a I persona l month: The Lovers is a Major

Trump card. That indicates some thi ng immediate. I is the t ime

of new beginnings. Upon see ing th is, I advised Joshua th at all

was not lost. Immed iately following the break-up, a new sum

mer romance would quickly heat up July.

148 THE 2 · HOUR TAROT TUTOR

Posirion B-an "n personal mont h: The figure in the 5 of

Cups does nor look happy. Three cups arc overturned . Some

thing is spilled our or lost, And, an I \7 personal month can be

stressful. This card may ind icate disappointment. Plus, it followsThe Lovers. My intuition told me lo stay with th e love theme.

I predicted a souring of the sizzling summer love slOry.

Posirion 9-a 3 personal month: The 7 of Wands speaks of

power struggles, Bur 3 is th e vibration of friends. Perhaps there

will be power struggles wirh friends.

Position IO-a 4 persona l month: The 7 of C ups shows

someone who can' t make up his mind . As 4 is th e number of

work, I advised Joshu a that Octo ber would probab ly be a rime

of confusion and indecisiven ess regard ing work and ca reermatt ers.

Position II - a 5 personal month: This guy is ca rrying a

heavy load. The 10 of Wand s speaks of being laden down wirh

responsibil ity, Add th e 5 for a dose of expecr !he unexpected. Itwas, in my estimation , an unexpected overload of burdens relat

ing lO work. Therefore, in November, Josh could expect an un

expected addit ion of duti es on the job.

Posirion 12- a 6 personal month: The 6 of Swords can be an

airplane trip or a sho rte r trip by car along a highway. Since

Joshua was in a 6 persona l month, which usually means home

or nearby related. my intu ition told me he was going to travel,

bur nor roo far. And , most likely, it would be a tr ip having lo do

with family. My predict ion was that in December (twelve

months from th e reading) Joshua would rake a car tr ip lo visitfamily.

Sin ce I knew from numerology that Joshua was moving into

a 4 personal year th e following year (after the Tarot cards' read

ing had expired ), I added lo my predictions that in th e next


year he would have no ch oice bur lo sort our all the work and

career issues.

I heard from Joshua about eigh teen months later. Here's how

ir all played out,

He did work very hard during th e month of Janu ar y. He

was so exhausted th at he impulsively rook a vaca tion in Feb

ruary, just to ch ill our. In March his cousin got married. There

was a big wedding, and family mem bers from several states

flew in to 'm end. Indeed family was th e main event of th at

month. By April, Josh was wiped our again. He used down

rime lo sleep. In May, his boss th e restaurant owne r gave

Joshu a a huge increase in salary. Bur, in June, Joshua's girl

friend ended th eir relat ion ship. In July, however, he mer a

beautifu l redhead and fell in love instantly. O ne month later

(August), he concluded , "Sh e was transparent, I could sec

right through her." He realized bea uty was on ly skin-dee p.

Whar a disappoinrmenr! As September rolled arou nd, Joshua

had some conflicts with what he descr ibed as conrrolling

friends . In October he admitted lO h imself he was co nfused

about job mailers. Maybe th e restaurant business wasn't

where he sho uld be. It didn't matter, beca use in November he

was h it wirh eve n more responsibili ry. His boss was openi ng

ano the r restaurant. This man trusted Joshua and wanted hi m

to ove rsee the entire new operation! As the holid ay season

got going in Dece mber, Joshua decided lO take a sho rt car

journey, abou t two hours west of Jacksonville, lo vislt h is

brother, sister-in -law, and twin nieces. As he had moved into

a 4 person al year by the rime I heard from him; he to ld me he

was unhappy man aging a restaurant, and was indeed raking a

serious look at his caree r direction.

This spread is quick and very easy. Try ir. You'll like ir!


THE PAST, PRESENT, AND FUTURE SPREAD

This spread comes from the famed British Tarot autho r the late

Richard Gardner. as presented in h is book The Tarot Speaks. It

is a sho rter and quicke r version of the Five-By-Five (Month

By-Month ) Spread.

Start ing at the left . lay down five cards in a row going from

left to right. Above that row. going from left to right . lay down

ano the r five cards in a row. Do th is for one othe r row. You now

have three rows of cards with five cards in each row.

The bottom row represen ts the past or immediate past. The

middle row is the present. The top row is the future or immedi

ate future. The middle card for each row can be used as the fo

cus of the issues affect ing th e queren t, and you can apply the

numerological persona l months to th ese rows also.

THE Q UICK PAST, PRESENT,

AND FUTURE SPREAD

T his is anothe r variat ion of the Past. Present. and Future

Spread th at 1devel oped. I ca ll it the Quick Past. Present . and

Future Spread. It can be used when you arc in a big hurry. 1fre

quently used this spread when work ing in Long Islan d discos.

where speed was essent ial.

Starti ng at the left. lay down three cards in a row going from

left to right . Above that row. going from left to right. lay downthree cards. Do this for one ot he r row. You now have three rows

of only th ree cards each. The bottom row represen ts the past or

immediate past. The middle row is the present . The top row is

THE INFORMATION SUPER HIGHWAY 15 1

the future or immediare future. Incorporating the querent's nu

merological personal months (or personal days) th is spread also

adds to the effectiveness and speedy access of information .

THE THREE CA RD SPREAD (REAL QUICK

PAST, PRESENT, AND FUTURE)

This is a real quick past. present. and futu re. It is a sophisticated

' ","sion of the E-Z Three Card Spread. Going from left to right.

lay down three cards. The fi rst card on the left ind icates the

past. The card in the middle represents the present and/or the

querent. The card on the right stands for the future.

YES O R N O Q UESTIONS (MY PET PEEVES)

I have already mentioned how difficult these quest ions arc to

answer. Firstly. remember the two prerequisites for the most

taxing of all Tarot feats: a clear quest ion and a calm mind .

Sta te the quest ion clearly and in eigh t words or less. And med

itate to calm your mind. Emotiona l anguish interferes with psy

ch ic reception.

For the most challenging of all divi nations. 1 recommend the

Horseshoe Spread and/or the Quick Yes or No. There arc two

methods of int erpretat ion for each of these spreads. One is a for

mula techniqu e; the othe r is an intetpreullive technique. The in

tetprerative technique is very helpful for those occasiona l indirect

responses; because even when the prerequisites are met . there are

times when the cards refuse to yield a direct answer to the in

quiry. (A s we proceed. you shall see what I rnean.)

152 THE 2-HOU R TAROT TUTOR

For both techniques I have provided sample readings, and

for each sample I sha ll pose th e same exact query. It is th e most

commonly asked and th e most difficult to answer. WiU he caIl?

Co median Jerry Seinfeld boils the answer down to a simple

miscommunication between the gend ers. "When a woman says

she 'll call, she means thar day , she ' ll call. When a man says he'll

call, he means in his Ufetirne, he'll call:'

Unfortunately th e cards frequently reflect this vagueness. To

add to the complication. this popu lar inquiry is usually accom

panied by extremely high levels of high anxiety. This furthe r

emphasizes th e importance of a tranquil psyche before attempt

ing to tackle this most vexin g of all questions.

THE HORSESHOE SPREAD

* THE FORMULA TECHNIQUE

3

2

1


[JD

6

7

This is based on a Yes or No Spread as presented by Lynn M.

Buess in his book T he Taror and Tmnsformarion. I have added

my persona l fl avor to th is spread by putt ing it in the shape of a

horseshoe. (T he Horseshoe Spread is a Tarot standard with

many variations to it.)

Formulate a clear question before shuffl ing is begun. After the

question has been presented, th e cards are shuffled and cut as

usual. Or. instead of having the querent shuffle th e cards, you

can spread or fan them out in a straigh t line (facedown) and in

struct the querent to pick seven cards, handing them to you

one at a time as she goes along. Many people like th is method

because they feci involved in th e selec tion of their fares.

Starting to rhe left , deal out (or place) seven cards while

making the shape of a horseshoe (See Diagram 5.6).

DIAGRAM ~.6

Tbe Iformfw< 5"rec.,1

In this spread th e inverted cards play an important role. A

card th at is right -side-up is a yes. It is given a value of one

point . An inverted card is a no. It is not given a value point.

The mid&e card is given a value point of two if it is right- side

up; if inverted, no points. Quick addit ion of th e value points of

all seven cards gives an instant yes or no answer. Five to eight

points is a yes. Three points or less is a no. Four points indicate

th ere is no answer to the question at th is time.

Let's look at some examples. Three cards are inverted ; four

cards are upright (including the two-point center card). That's

five points . This is a yes answer.


Five cards are inve rted. One card and the center card (two

points) arc right-sid e-up: three points. This is a no answer.

Now here is a brain twister. T hree cards arc inverted (in

cludi ng the two point middle card). T he remain ing four cards

are right-side-up: four points. What's the answer! There isn' t

an y. The cosmos has deemed this quest ion to be una nswerable

at this time.

* THE INTERPRETATI VE TECHNIQUE

Regardless of th e answer given by the fonnula (point count)

technique. you can still dig deeper for more information by in

terpreting the cards' positions. From left to right, the positions

indicate : (l) the past; (2 ) the present; (3 ) th e immediate fu

ture. The cente r or middle card (4) represents the querent

and/or what th e question is all about; (5) th e attitude of an

othe r person; (6) an obstacle (if a positive card. thi s is reinforc

ing); and (7) the outco me.

This method is highly subjective, and th e messages will not

always be clear, cut-and-dry. Relate the cards to the question

that is asked, and allow your intuitive/psychic [acuIties to facto r

int o the interpretation .

Let's look at sample readings using both the [!mnula and in

terpretive techn iques for th e eterna l question : Will he call!Felicia had met Anthony at a party ten days ago. He had

promised ro call but Felicia was growing doubtfu l. She want ed

to know if there was any hope.

She clearly stated the question , WiU Anthony caUl She then

shuffled and cut th e deck. I dealt out seven cards following the

Horseshoe Spread: The Sun, 4 of Pentacles (inve rted ).


Strength (in verted ), 9 of Pentacles, 3 of Cups, Q ueen of Cups

(inverted ), and Knight of C ups. Pull the correspondi ng cards

from your deck and follow along.

Starting with the [onnula technique, I calculated the points.

Only three cards were inverted. The remain ing cards, including

the two-point center card, were tight-side-up. This added up to

five points, a yes. My prediction was that Anthony would call.

Using the interpretative technique. I could dig up more infor

mation. Follow along. Position I- The Past. The Sun : Some

th ing recently past made Felicia happy and optimistic. Sh e met

Anthony. Position 2- T he Present, 4 of Pentacles (inverted) :

She was trying to contro l her overexuberance , Position 3-T he

Immediate Future. Strengt h (inverted) : She will be using all

her will power to resist th e urge to ca ll him. Position 4- T he

Q uerent and/or What the Question Is A ll About. 9 of Penta

cles: Fel icia had been dressing up each day before going out, in

case she ran into Anthon y. Position 5- The Attitude of An

othe r Person. 3 of C ups: I suggested Anthon y liked to part y.

Posit ion 6-An O bstacle, Q ueen of C ups (in verted) : It looked

as if Anthony could have had anothe r lady on his mind. Posi

tion 7- The O utcome, Knight of Cups: T his was the phone

call from Ant hon y.

Aft er th e reading Felicia to ld me Anthony was known as a

party animal; and. he had recently been jilted by a girl he really

liked . However, two days later he called.

Here's anothe r example. G wen had been interested in a guy

named Juan. He had asked for her num ber. But one mon th had

passed , and Juan had not ca lled. Distraught, she came to see me

on th e day of a full moon. She clearly sta ted the question, Will

he call! T hen I spread the cards out and instructed he r to pick

seven and hand them to me as she went along.


This is th e order in which th e cards were pulled : 7 of Swords,

8 of words (inverted ), The Hanged Man, 9 of Swords (in

verted), 7 of Cups (inverted ), The Tower, and Knight of

Wands (inverted) . Arrange your cards accordingly and follow

along.

Using th e fonnufa technique for the Horseshoe Spread, the

interpretat ion was as follows. Four cards were inverted, includ

ing the two-poi nt center card, leaving only three cards right

side-up. That totals to th ree, a neb'!tive. I infonned Gwen th at

Juan wou ld not call.

Gwen pressed me for deta ils. I was able to acco mmodate her

by using the inrerpreultive technique.

Position I-The Past, 7 of Swords: Something sneaky or de

ceptive had happened in th e very recent past. Perh aps Juan had

never really intended to call G wen, but instead was leading her

on. Position 2- The Present, 8 of Swords (inve rted) : Gwen

was uncerta in about what to do. 1suggested she may have even

felt th is deception, but had been unable to admit it to herself.

Posit ion 3- The Immediate Future, The Hanged Man: G wen

would soon begin to feel taken advantage of. Position 4- The

Quercnt and/or What the Question Is All About, 9 of Swords

(inverted ): Gwen was quite distressed over this situation. Posi

tion 5- The Atti tude of Anothe r Person, 7 of Cups (in

verted): It appears as if Juan may, in fact , be an untruthful

individual. Position 6-An Obstacle, T he Tower: There would

be an unexpected tum of events . Position 7- T he Outcome,

Knight of Wands (inverted): Alt hough I finnly believed Juan

would not call, he was still in the picture, but 1could no t be cer

tain exactly how. And thi s is what 1 told G wen, too.

Here's what happened. Two months passed and Juan never

called. G wen had completely forgotten about h im. Then one


night at about eleven o'clock, she bumped into him in a conve

nience store. He told her he had lost her phone number, and

asked for it again. Gwen fell for that baloney that 's as old as the

hills and wrote it down for h im. Of course, Juan never called

th at time eithe r, demonstrat ing that he was leading her on and

most likely made a habit out of pract icing deception .

This is an excellent example of how life th rows curve balls

that are reflected in the cards, but very difficult to discern.

While the di rect answer to th e question was not what Gwen

was looking for, the re was a message coming th rough. Indeed,

th e cards were telling someth ing indirectly, but not specifica lly.

This is one of the most fascinating aspects of Tarot cards. Al

ways look at the cards. It may only be in ret rospect th at the mes

sage becomes clear. This is why it is important ro take dated

notes. In th at way you will become more cognizant of how th e

cards really talk.

Let's look at ano the r sample. Kendra had had a huge argu

ment with her bovfnend, Doug. They both said nasty and hurt

ful th ings to each other. Kendra wondered if Doug would ever

call her again.

She clearly asked th e question, shuffled, and cut. 1dealt out

seven cards in the shape of a horseshoe. 5 of Swords (inverted),

3 of Swords (inverted) , 2 of Swords, 7 of Wands, 5 of C ups, IOof Swords (inverted), and Judgement (inverted) . Se t th is

spread up with your cards and follow along.

Using th e fonnula technique, four cards were inverted and

thre e cards were right -side-up (including th e two point center

card) . That was only a IOtaI of four points. In othe r words,

th ere was no answer at th is time. Perhaps because the emo

tion al investment in this question was too grea t: or perhaps it

was the universe 's way of telling Kend ra there was a spiritual


lesson 10 be learned from th is experience and th e outcome de

pended upon how she chose to respond 10 th is situation. In

other words, it was not simply a matter of Kendra wanting Doug

10 call her. Someth ing else was going on here. Remember, the

messages are always coming thro ugh , albeit cryptically.

Using th e interpretati,,, technique for this readin g, I easily

obtained more information. Without even looking at the cards'

positions, a quick overview told me there was a lot of turmoil

and stress. A breakdown was quite revealin g. Posit ion I-The

Past, 5 of Swords (inverted): There had recentl y been a bitter

argument . Position 2- T he Present , 3 of Swords (inverted):

There was a lot of pain and anguish. Posit ion 3- T he Immedi

ate Future, 2 of Swords: There was indecisiveness about what 10

do. Position 4- The Qu erent and/or Wh at the Quest ion Is All

Abo ut, 7 of Wands: This card clued me in. It represented

Kendra. She appeared 10 be quite controlling in this situation,

and perh aps control issues were a part of what the question was allabout. Position 5- The Att itude of Another Person, 5 of Cups:

This definitely represent ed Doug. He felt quite wounded be

cause of this fierce fight. Position 6-An O bstacle, 10 of Swords

(inverted) : 1sensed th is related again to Doug, who was also de

pressed. Position 7- The O utcome, Judgement (inverted) :

This looked like a phone call, but not from Doug. Instead it

looked as if Kendra would call him.

At this point I paused, because I got thepictllre. I had an intu

itive flash . It appeared 10 me as if Kendra had init iated this bru

tal bat tle. Because of her controlling nature (7 of Wands), she

refused to accept responsibility for a situation she herself had

created and wanted Doug to call her. That is, she wanted to

make Doug call her. However she should have been calling

Doug 10 apologize. But, I did not want to put ideas into her


head by suggesting this. I wanted her to come to this realization

for herself.

During the brief intermission of my pause, Kendra began

talking. She admitted to having deliberately pressed Doug's

butt ons just 10 get a reaction out of him; only she hadn't real

ized how badly she was really hurting him. Since I had said he

was not going 10 call her, she quietly asked me if she should call

him to apologize. I advised her th at I thought the last card,

Judgement, was saying just th at.

For Kendra, th is was a lesson in personal growth. She

learned that for everything you do in life there is a price 10 be

paid. And responsibility must be taken for our actions. It was

th e Tarot cards that aided in vividly bringing thi s irrevocable

cosmic law to her awareness.

A QU ICK YES OR NO

* THE FORMULA TECHNIQUE

This spread is from Mastering the Tarot by Eden Grav, Pose the

question clearly before anything else is begun. The cards are

then shuffl ed and cut as usual or fanned out to be selected by

the querent . Deal out three cards or ask th e querent to pick

three cards, handing them to you in the order in which they are

pulled. Lay them out side-by-side, going left to right. T he an

swer is determined by how many cards are right-side-up or in

verted. All three cards right-side-up, a definit e yes. Three cards

inverted, a defini te no. Two cards right-side-up, a qualified yes.

Two cards inverted, a qualified no. Qualified, in this case, means

there are mod ifying influences affecting the matt er, such as re

str ictions. Or, perhaps the matt er is subject to certai n condi-


tions being met before it can effect ively transpire. I told you,

life is not always cleat, cut-and-dry!

* TH E INTERPRETATIVE TECHNIQUE

By reading (feeling) the three cards th at come up in th is spread

and relat ing them to the question that is being asked, they can

be inte rpreted in th e conte xt of th e query, You can even weave

the Three Card Spread (Real Quick Past, Present, and Future)

into th e interpretative technique for extra information. Use your

intuitive/psychic faculties freely with th is spread. You will be

amazed at th e insights you'll have!

Let's look at sample readings for thi s spread using both the

formula and interpretive techniques for th at eterna l question:

WiU he call!Jennifer had met Russ a few days ago. Russ wasa star athlete,

in med school, and quite handsome. Jennifer was chewing her

fingernails to the quick wondering if Russ would get in touch

with her. She asked the question, WiU Russ caUl I spread the deck

out, facedown. She picked three cards and handed them to me as

she went along. I placed them down, going from left to right.

The Z of Cups, Ace of Cups and 7 of Pent acles were all

right -side-up. I told Jennifer, Russ would definitely call.

By looking at the ind ividual cards, more information could

be obtained. T he Z of Cups definitely meant a relat ionsh ip.

Love was in the air! The Ace of Cups suggests happy emotions

and the predominating suit of Cups told me that somet hing

was going to happen soon, maybe in one day or one week. But

the 7 of Pentacles said that something would also be around for


a very long time. Seeds were being planted. There was more go

ing on here th an just a phone call. I told th is to Jennife r.

Let's incorporate the T hree Card Spread (Real Quick Past,

Present, and Future) into th is interpretation . The Z of Cups,

th e immediate past- a relat ionship appea red to be blooming.

Ace of Cu ps, th e immediate present, indica ted a phone meso

sage is current ly waiting. This middle card can also be inter

preted as th e querent. jennifer is happy and optimistic. The 7

of Pentacles, th e immediate future, suggested th at th e seeds for

a long-term situat ion were being planted.

When Jennifer got back to her room, his message awaited

her. They went together for several years, th en married. Russ

want ed to get th rough med school firs t. They are still a very

happy couple!

Here's anot her example. Gra ce wanted to know if Phil

would call. Phil was a cha rismatic guy, who atte nded a college

about one-and-a-half hours away from Grace. A friend had

tried to fix th em up, and gave Phil G race's number.

Grace clearly asked th e question. I spread the cards out face

down. She picked three and handed them to me as she went

along. Go ing from left to right , I placed them down. T he 6 of

Swords, Temperance, and The Lovers were all inverted. I ad

vised Grace th at Phil would definitely not call.

1was still able to get more information for G race by lookin g

at th e overall picturel s), In this instance I was working totally

on intuition . Focusing on th e cards, I d idn't like what I saw.

Basedon th e feeling 1was getting, Phil appea red to be unstable

in relationships. Grace confided tha t he was reputed to go from

one girlfriend to the next. I told Grace she shou ld be glad she

would never hear from him. However, The Lovers did come up

16 2 THE 2 -HOUR TAROT TUTOR

in the spread. although inverted. I felt as if it was signaling an

important message. There may be ano ther opportunity. Grace

informed me that another guy had indeed been asking her out.

But she had been putting him off. hoping that Phil would call.

After the reading. Gra ce decided to forget about Phil and ac

cept a date with the other prospect . This is yet another exam

ple of how th e direct message may be unfavorab le but an

indirect message is coming through. which is significant.

Adding th e Three Card Spread to th e interpretation. th ere

is more informat ion th at can be drawn. Remember. all th e cards

are inverted. The 6 of Swords. th e immediate past: Phil was not

near Grace. but at some distance atte nding anot he r college.

Temperance. th e presen t: A situat ion that was not going to

change. As the qucrcru , G race was trying to balance far time.

Keep in mind. I'm feelinghere and in intuitive/psychic mode. The

Lovers, th e future. showed that there was indeed another guy

calling.Let's look at ano ther example. Keisha and Dwayne dated on

and off for a while. Then th ey drifted apart. It had been more

than six months since Keisha had seen him.Keisha formulated the question. Will Dwayne call? I spread

the cards out face down. Keisha picked three cards and handed

them to me one by one: th e 6 of Pentacles. King of Cups and

the 7 of Wands (Inverted) . O ne card was invert ed, th e other

two were right -side-up. The answer was a qualified yes. That

meant Dwayne probably would call if certa in conditions were

met. O r, the call was subject to restr ictions. But, th at was

vague. 1 had to dig deeper to give Keisha more information;

and, here. again. my intuition was going to be the guide.

The 6 of Pentacles said th at maybe Dwayne had had to bor

row money. If he was having financi al problems. he may not


have felt good about himself and uncomfortable about talking

to Keisha at thi s time. This was basic psvchologv , I saw Dwayne

as th e King of Cups. a man fl oating on the ocean. Perhaps

Dwayne was drifting along in life. going wherever the tide was

taking him. The 7 of Wands (invert ed) looked like a message.

But Wands could have meant months down the road. So [ told

Keisha th at if Dwayne gets himself together and plants his feet

on th e ground. she would hear from him within a few months.

These cards fit easily int o th e Three Card Spread. The 6 of

Pentacles. the past: Dwayne had to borrow money. The King of

Cups. th e present: Dwayne is presently floating aimlessly. This

position can also be interpreted as the querent . Dwayne is

strongly on Keisha's mind. The 7 of Wands (inverted) , the fu

ture. indicated th ere will be a message.

Five months later he sent her a letter. snail-mail. While th is

was not a phone call. it was nevertheless a communication.

But. maybe not exac tly what Keisha had in mind . And. remem

ber. [ said it was qualified. This is another example of how

things play out much differently th an our imagined expecta

tions.

Here is another example. Alex. who was qu ite a charmer,

had been flirting around with Rachel and had asked for her

num ber. One month had passed and she had not heard from

him .

Rachel asked the question , WillAlex call? She picked three

cards and handed them to me one by one: th e 6 of Cu ps. the

Ace of Swords (inverted) , and the Page of Wands (Invert ed) .

O ne card was right -side-up; the other two were inverted. The

answer was a qualified no. But what did th at mean ?

1dug deeper and looked at the individual cards. It certa inly

looked like a message to me. I told Rachel th e only percepti on


_..

-,

_.

D_. D_.L1' D _.

r][JD -._.rID r][J--

- .r][J

I could get was that he most likely would not call her, but I did

see someth ing about a message or phone call. I had no idea

what that meant. This, however, was what my intuition was

telling me.

Using a quick analysis of th e Three Card Spread, th e cards

did not fit so neatl y. Nevertheless, something could be seen.

The 6 of Cups, the past: Rachel had given Alex her number.

The Ace of Swords (inverted) , the present and the queren t:

Rachel was anxious about a message. The Page of Wands (in

verted), th e future: There would be a phone <=., 11.About two weeks passed. One day the phone rang. Rachel

answered it. A man's voice asked to speak to Patricia, Rachel's

gorgeous roommate. It was Alex!

Indeed th ere was a phone call but not the one Rachel had

hoped for. This is an excellent example of how th e universe

th rows us curve balls which are many times impossible to

adroitly carch.

I must reemphasize that you will have to experiment with

these spreads to see what works for you. Always interpret the

cards in th e contex t of th e question being asked. Since you are

working in intuitive/psychic mode, everything may not fit ex

actly. T his is Tarot card reading, not mathematics!

If you arc uncerta in about th e message trying to come

through , it's okay to say so. But always remember to look ar the

carris andsay wharyou see.

DIAGRAM 5.7

Wilma Carroll', rarty SjJT'ud

WILMA CA RRO LL'S PARTY SPREAD

Here is an extra added bonus. This is a spread I developed my

self (See Diagram 5.7) . In fact , as you become more comfort-


able with the cards, you may also find yourself guided to develop

your own spread. You may find yourse lf. one day, unconsciously

laying the cards out in a virtually un ique spread of your very

own creat ion . Man y Tarot card readers do th is.

This one came to me qui te naturally. It was the result of

reading at hundreds of parties, special events, and colleges-

where time is of the essence.

Start with th e Advanced Celtic C tOSS Spread. After read ing

the cards in th at spread, without picking the m up, continue

with a quic k and short variat ion of the Seven Siste rs Spread .

Deal the next th ree cards from th e top of the unused deck and

th row them (in that group of th ree) anywhe re on top of the

Ad vanced Celtic C ross Sp read or randomly around th e spread.

There is no formal position ing with these extra cards. Read

that group of th ree cards as you would in the Seven Sisters

Spread. Continue this random throw two or th ree times, or even

four t imes more, as long as you feel you have an intui tive con

nection . If you are getting noth ing from the group of three

ca rds. try using on ly two cards. Experiment and see what works

for you.

I•

rI

lI

V I

TH E ULT IMATE QU E ST IO

"Do You E VER GET A NY G REAT R EVELATI ONS ?"

"You 're all wrong!" he sna pped.

"No dear. She 's right!" his wife sho t back. "You' re very accu

rate!" She turned to me.

"I don't believe in this stuff!" he growled. Gerald was a re

tired high-rank ing naval officer. I was readin g at h is neph ew's

bar mitzvah . 1sat there and kept my mouth shut as husband and

wife slugged it out. 1 had witnessed th is scene many times be

fore. Men disagree with me, no matter how accurate I am, while

their wives confi rm everything I am saying! In fact when I first

started reading at parties, I wouldn't read for a man unless h is

wife was sitt ing there with him. Now, with nearly four decades

of experience under my belt, I am bette r prepared to handl e

th is situation. This is also aided by the somewhat changing

New Millennium mentalit y. In othe r words, men are not quite

as skeptical. But they are , tiUnot true believers.

"All righ t," mumbled Gerald, "you're accurate."


He was impressed. The Tarot cards had correctly described

an important upcoming meeting and th e costly repair work be

ing done in h is kitchen. In typical male style, however, he re

mained adamant ly unyielding in his skepticism.

"You still haven 't convinced me th ere's anything to th is."

Gerald glared at me for several seconds, th en slowly leveled a

sly look. A devilish grin spread across his face. I braced myself

for what was coming. I knew exactly what he was going to say.

"Do you ever get any great revelat ions?" he snickered with a

wngue-in-cheek att itude.

Gerald could not resist asking what I call the ultimate ques

rion. It is occasionally asked by men, but always accompanied

with a not iceably facet ious undertone. Yet it is a question for

which I have a very serious answer. Yes! Absolutely! I can hon

estly tell you th at dur ing my thirty-seven years of experience

with Tarot cards, I have had many great , fascinating, and unbe

lievable re,,, lations!

In thi s anecdotal chapter I recount the deta ils of many of

th ese incredible experiences. And it is deliberately placed near

the end of th e book, as I did not want anyone to be influenced

by my particular style of interpretation . So when I tell you

which cards came up in a part icular reading, keep in mind , this

is my way uf seeing things and definitel y not th e only way to sec

th ings. Certa inly by now you have had some of your own pro

found revelations with Tarot cards.

Because these stories span a period of more than three de

cades, I am not able to remember all the cards th at appeared in

each spread, But, I do remember (in most instances) at least

three or four, and that should give you an idea of how I came to

these well-founded conclusions.

•

THE ULTIMATE QUESTION 169

* '" '"Picture this! It was my second professional read ing. Amanda, an

attractive redhead, was a referral from my jim professional

client. I vividly remembered Amanda from junior high schoo l.

Popular and well liked by everyone, she had been known for

her wry sense of humor. My friends and I used to tell her she

would make a great stand-up comic, but unfortunately that was

not th e route she had taken . Rushing into marriage right after

high schoo l, she was now left to raise two children on her own.

Her ex-husband was nowhere to be found and, of course, nei

ther were th e child support payments. So Amanda worked full

time as a salesperson in a departm ent store.

As we sat in my study on a freezing February even ing, sip

ping hot tea to keep us warm , I began doing th e Five-By-Five

(Month-By-Month) Spread. In the row representing rhe pres

ent was The Empress, righ t smack in th e middle. I knew th e

focus was a mother. I do not remember the surrounding cards,

but in the row above were many Major Trump cards: T he

Star, Temperance, The Moon , and Judgement . T hat meant

events were imminent. When I began reading this spread, my

mind went blank. Amanda later told me th at I put my hand

over th e cards and sat there hemming and hawing for about five

minutes.

Finally I said, "When the time comes to let your mother go,

do so knowing she will always be with you in spirit and guiding

you."

I had no idea why I was saying th is. It didn 't make any sense

to me, but my intuition was tell ing me something and th e

words seemed to fall from my mouth. Amanda then told me her


moth er was dying of cancer. She was not expected to live more

than th ree days. Ch ills ran up and down my spine. Three days

later her mother passed away.

Wh at a way to start a career! Leading off with th e most sen

sit ive, serious, and taboo issue of all! Months later Amanda

told me the reading had comforted her, and she could actually

feel her moth er's presence in spirit, guiding her as she reared her

chi ldren.

But thi s was not at all comfort ing to me. I went on to see

death in the cards two more times!

The second time occurred when I was reading at a d isco

th eque on Long Island. I was still new as a professional reader,

only six months into my career. The manager and the owner of

the club sat down for readings. Bob, the manager, was no

stranger to psychic readings. He had been a regular clie nt of

Long Island's famous EggLady,a Scottish woman, renowned for

her phenomenal readin gs using eggs !

The Egg L.~dy had died about one-and-a- half years before I

moved to Long Island , so I never had the privilege of meet ing

her. But l learned all about her from her clients, many of whom

I inherit ed. They all regaled me with stories of her amazing

clairvoyance and eccent ric beha vior.

Mrs. D. lived in a comfortable house in Suffolk County, 10'cared in th e middle of Long Island . She had come to the

United States after marrying an American serviceman she had

met during World War 11. He died years earlier, and she fully

earned her living {and a decent one at th at} reading eggs.

Ge tti ng an appoint ment with her was no easy task, th e wait

sometimes being a good six months! People would drive several

hours from as far away as Pennsylvania to see her, and as soon

as she was tired, she would stop.


"It didn't matter how long you had been waiting or how far

you had driven. If th ere was a long line of cars wait ing outside

her house, it didn't matter. She would run out int o th e street

and scream that she was tired and had to stop. You would have

to reschedule!" a forme r client told me.

Mrs. D. would crack an egg into a cup and then stir it with

her fi nger. She would th en look at the egg and ask, "00 you

want to hear everything!" If you said, "yes," she wou ld tell you

aU, even about serious illness and approaching death.

One time Mrs. D. told a man his wife would have an affair.

And she did. He was so angered he returned to the Egg Lady

and beat her up. (So you see, I'm not the only one to have dif

ficu lties reading for men. Fortunately, my experiences have not

been th at scvere.) After th at she refused to read for any man

but ult imately agreed to accept five gent lemen whom she

deemed were special. Eventu ally I read for three of th e chosenfew.

As I commenced the reading with Bob, I remember th ink ing

th at th e Egg Ladv was a tough act to follow. Yet despite my in

experience , my performance was to get rave reviews, although

somewhat delayed.

I went on to tell Bob about another business he had, a travel

agency. I also menti oned some real estate deals in which he was

involved. In th e position of the home, using the Advanced

Celtic Cross Spread, I saw the 9 of Swords, the 6 of Swords,

and th e Qu een of Wands. That is all I remember.

My prediction was as follows: "A woman will be leaving your

life, someone close to you like a sister." Again 1 had no idea

what thi s meant. It was a strangely cryptic statement , but once

again th e words sort of fell out of my mouth. My int uit ion was

guiding me.


At the end of th e reading Bob looked at the owner of the

club, who had been listening intent ly. "Interesting, isn't it?"

commented Bob. They both exchanged nods. It wasn't until

two years later that the story unraveled.

Meanwhil e I had moved into Manhattan and lost touch

with th e people at th e disco. By a strange twist of fate I was in

vited back to read on a Saturday night in June. The club now

had new owners, but Bob remained as the manager. He greeted

me warmly at th e door and I inquired about his wife. I had spo

ken to her and his sister a couple of times on th e phone. They

had been th inking of booking appoint ments with me for pri

vate consultati ons but we never could coordinate the times.

"My wife died ," he said.

"I'm so sorry!" I gasped. I was stunned and very concerned

and conti nued extending my condolences. "What happened ?"

"She died of a congeni ta l heart disease. You predicted it."

Instantly I went on the defensive. "I never predict death!" I

screamed in a panicky voice. "It would be uneth ical."

He then reminded me of th e readin g when 1 told him a

woman would be leavin g his life. His wife had been ill for a long

time, and th ey both knew she did not have long to live. My

cryptic message made sense. And in spite of my policy of never

predicting death, th e cards had their own un ique way of con

veying the message symbolically. This was th e second time I had

inadvertently predicted deat h.

With the firs t two predictions the querents both knew that

someone close to them would soon die. I was reading, or

pulling, this information directl y from th eir conscious minds.

However, the thi rd time I saw death in the cards the reading

was more dramatic. This time I pulled th e information from the


querenr's subconscious mind. She had no idea that someone

close to her was about to die.

A pleasant woman with graying hair sat before me as I did

th e Advanced Celtic Cross Spread followed by the Advanced

Horoscope Spread. Beverly had been referred to me by her

neighbor, who was a regular cl ient .

"I've always been curious about thi s," she told me. "But I

never got around to doing it ."

I was going around the houses in th e Advanced Horoscope

Spread when I stopped at the Ninth House. I read th e cards:

Justice, Ace of Pentacles, and IO of Pentacles. I told Beverly

she and her husband would be talking to a lawyer and/or an ac

counta nt about real estate matters. This was consistent with

what appea red to be th e entire th eme of the reading. Beverly

and her husband would come into some money, sell their home

and buy a new one some distance away. Beverly kept insist ing

that she could not relate to a th ing I was saying. I kept insisting

she take notes because it would all make sense sooner or late r.

(Th is is a good example of how you must always trust what you

see in the cards, even if th e querent disagrees. When you proj

ect into the future many times people canno t relate to what

you are saying because it seems so remote or impossible. The

querent may start arguing with you. Do not get into an argu

ment. But stick to what you see in the cardst)

Suddenly I real ized I had accident ally skipped over the

Eighth House. (It was really not an acc ident. Nothingever happens by accident, according to occultists. But, on a subcon

scious level I must have known something was up.) I didn't

want Beverly to think I was careless so I didn't say anything.

Instead. I qu ietl y backt racked to th e Eighth House and picked


up th e cards. (The Eighth House deals with taxes, inheri

tan ces, othe r people's mone y, insurance, sex, and death or

man ner of death. It is th e most difficu lt lO understand of all

the houses in the horoscope because it deals with transforma

t ion.) The Empress was surrounded by Deat h and th e 10 of

Swords. Some Tarot experts th ink the 10 of Swords is the

worst card in the deck. And, as I have said in Chapter Jth e Death card does not mean physical death. When it falls in

th e Eighth House, however, its significance may have lO be

reconsidered.

"Is your mother still alive?" I asked.

"Oh, no!" she said. "My mot her died years ago."

Wh at I never thought lO ask was, "Is your mother-in-law still

alivej'Two days late r Beverly's moth er-in -law died suddenly of

a stroke. She was in her late eighties and in good health . Her

death came as a shock lO everyone. Her house had been willed

lO Beverly and her husband. They sold it, plus their 0 \\11 house.

and bought a much nicer one far away. Of course they had to

talk lO a lawyer and an accountant. This was one of the most

incredible experiences I have ever had with Tarot cards.

Not all of my readings have been so dramatic . I have had

light , pleasant, and even funny experiences with the Tarot .

Annette, for instance. Wh en she came to me for a reading I saw

The Sun, The Empress. and th e 6 of Cu ps in the posit ion rep

resenting yOIl in th e Ad van ced Celtic Cross Spread. I predicted

a baby being born. but since she looked about eighteen years of

age and much too young to be havin g a baby, I thought it might

be a sister who would have the baby and Annette would be the

one caring for it. Annette blushed a deep red and then confided

th at she had come for th e reading to see if she was pregnant .

Twenty-eight years old (a young looking twenty- eight), mar-

THE ULTIMATEQUESTION 175

ried and as pretty as a piclllrc; she was impatiently awaiting the

results of the pregnancy test. In those days it took two weeks to

get the results. Home testing kits had not yet been developed . I

told her I definitely saw a baby being born. Two weeks later,

four of her friends came in for readings and confirmed the testwas positive!

When Jocelyn came to me for a reading I saw The Empress,

The Sun. and the Queen of Cups, all indications of a preg

nancy. Since thi s was th e first consultation I had ever had with

her, and didn't know her at all, I gently eased into what I

viewed as a potentially sensitive issue. I did not want to blurt

OUl, "I think you're pregnant!" As it turned out , Elizabe th, a

successful interior designer with her own business, already had

a little girl and want ed to have ano ther child eventually but

didn't know when.

"l think you're pregnant now." I informed her.

She immediately purchased a home pregnancy test and re

turned a few weeks later with the good news. She was pregnant !

"And it's a good thing you told me," she laughed. "I was get

ting ready to go on vacati on and eat, drink , and be merry!" A

year later she returned with her darling baby boy!

Working with th e Advanced Horoscope Spread, I was read

ing for Sasha, a stylish and elegant young woman from Brook

lyn. In the first house was th e Queen of Cups, 9 of Pentacles,

and Queen of Wands.

"You're surrounded by women," I told her. "You do some

th ing lo make them beautiful. Are you in th e cosmetics business]"

"I own a hair salon ," she told me.

The 7 of Wands, 5 of Swords and Justice fell in the Nint h

House. In th e Tent h House was the 10 of Wands, 9 of Swords,


and 5 of Pentacles. In the Se venth House was the Kn ight of

Swords, 8 of Wands, and 6 of Wands.

This looked like a power struggle with a judge or a lawyer

over a legal matter that would have an affect on her business.

There was also a lot of paperwork or papers to be signed , Sasha

had no idea what I was ta lking abou t. She insisted she was not

invo lved in any legal dispute and had no reason to talk to an at

torney. But the cards were clear. I was telling it exac tly as I saw

it! If there were no legal issues at that moment, they were cer

tain to come up soon.

A few weeks later asha phoned. She had been called up for

jury duty! She was expec ted to serve for two weeks.

"But I run my own business!" she screamed. "1 can't be gone

for two weeks."

Sasha had already gone before a judge and asked to be per

manently exc used from this most inconvenient civ il service.

They had a heated argument and power struggle. The judge in

sisted she had no chance whatsoever of gett ing out of jury duty.

She had h ired a lawyer to help her. And, while frantically wor

rying about her business, there were a lot of letters (paperwork)

going back and forth .

I reminded her of the reading and my predic tion. T hi s was

exactly what 1had seen in the cards. Sasha remembe red what I

had said; but, nevertheless there was ano the r complicat ion .

She had taped the session. The tape recorder had work ed per

fectly when we began . However when she went home and tr ied

to replay it, all she heard was a blurred noise.

Meanwhile, Sasha wanted to know what the outcome would

be. This is one of the toughest cha llenges with any form of div

ination . Trying to int ercept the Uni""",al Mind can be a frus

trat ing task. Astrologers defend this perplexity by explaining


that it is easy to sec that the re will be rough road ahead, but,

how a situat ion will actually conclude-and in whose favor-is

impossible many times to determine. I have staunch ly disagreed

with my colleagues on this because I think by digging deeper,

you can get some idea which way the t ide will tum. Perhaps not

all the specifics but many indications of the aftermath or the

conditions following the rocky road can definitely be ascer

ta ined .

I remembered initially telli ng Sasha there would be a favor

able outcome to a legal matter. Since this was a spontaneous re

sponse, uninfluenced by any concrete knowledge of a legal

matt er, it was an accurate psych ic insight. The cards had also

told of a lot of aggravation and stress before th is matter was set

tled. Accord ing to Sasha , that part of th e prediction was al

ready occurring. 1 felt confident in assuring he r she would be

granted a len gthy postpone ment. And, she was. She called me

severa l weeks late r to tell me, with relief, she had been given a

year-and-a- ha lf deferment.

S ince the querent had no idea that a noti ce for jury dut y was

coming, thi s was a genuine psychi c project ion and an exce llent

example of how strong psych ic en ergy can interfere with me

cha nica l equipment.

It was early in my career, abo ut one year, when I learned a

cardina l rule abo ut reading Tarot cards. You never know what

you 'll see when you look into someone 's cards. Things aren't always what !hey seem to be.

It was picture perfect: Mommy, Daddy and a nine-month -old

baby son. They looked like the most ordinary up-and-com ing

middl e class family out for a Friday evening dinner. I was read

ing in a Long Island restaurant when the cha rming couple in

vited me over to their table to read for Daddy.


The Tower, justice, 8 o f Swords, 3 of Swords, and 5 of Pen

tacles fell in the spread. I spoke of resmcnons, serious legal and

financial probl ems. I was interpreting th e symbo ls and nor able

to directl y relate them to any spec ific situation, This frequently

happens when you ale tr ying ro int erp ret someth ing that is nOI

even in your framework o f thinking. Therefore I had no idea

what I was saying when I spoke abo ut resrricnons, although it

certa in ly did nor look good.

Aft er th e read ing, Daddy, who appealed to be the perfect

husband and father, unabashed ly rold me he was in big trouble

for embezzling and was faci ng a possible th ree years' imprison

ment ! Fortunately th e ou tco me did nOI look so grim. I adv ised

h im he might have to pay a heftv fine and be ab le to get OUI of

prison lime.

Shoc ked and sha ken by this unwholesom e predicament, I

remained tact ful, non-judgmental, and maintain ed a profes

sional demeanor. Then I made a qu ick exit srage lefl.

You will sec a lot of things when reading Tarot ca rds. Get

ready!

Now this is a srory of how I used my knowledge of astrology

and num erology combined with Tarot cards 10 come up with a

nor-so-welcome insight. O ne icy January weekend I was working

at a birthday party in Hoboken, New Jersey. Am y was an entre

preneurial young wom an who worked in sales, earn ing quite a

substant ial living. Her friends were delightful, and even the

men were enjoyi ng my readings unnl th e football game sta rted,

At that po int, they all gathe red aro und th e television in the

living room, leaving th e women and me alone in the large din

ing room. Amy was the last ro have a reading. She had wailed

until all of her guests h ad had a lum .

Ooing the Advanced Celt ic Cross Spread, at the top , in the


position of culminalion, I saw The Lovers and The High Priest

ess. It was three days before a full moon. Secrets come out on

th e full moon. Amy was also in a 7 personal year. Any relation

shi p started in that year usually has a serious obstac le, ano the r

person . I find man y women in a 7 personal year will unknow

ingly or knowingly gel involved with a marr ied man . If il is un

knowing, imagin e th e jarring reali ty check when I tell th em.

Such was the case with A my. She had rold me she had just

sta rted seeing this man .

"I think he is also seeing someone else," I gent ly rold her.

"No , he's nOI!" she sna pped at me defensively.

I stuck 10 my guns. The Lovers next ro The High Priestess

were eno ugh confirmat ion for me. The High Priestess was the

secret. Next to The Lovers , it meant a secret love or secret

abo ut love. Three days before the full moon and Amy's 7 per

sona l year rold me my predicti on was an ind isputable fact,

Amy called me IWO weeks later.

"H e was seeing someone else! That blank ity, blankity,

S.O.B.! Blah ! Blah ! Blah!" Am y was furious.

T hen she turned her ange r on me.

"How did you know? How did you know?"

"I'm a psychi c," I ca lmly sta ted. "That's my job ."

This is what I mean abo ut <'Cllling. It is very draining on a

psych ic when a client docs this. Being a psychic is a thanklessjob....

Here is ano the r example of how I used my knowledge of as

lrol ogy and numerology with Tarot cards to make an interest ing

predict ion. I was using th e Advanced Celt ic Cross Spread, as a

woman inqui red about her boyfriend. She had nor seen him for

quite a while. The Magician, The Hie rophant, the 4 of Wands,

the 6 of C ups, the 3 of Pentacles, and th e Knight of Wands ap-


peared in the spread, l told her he was in New Jersey (the Knight

of Wands faced left, poinr ing west of New York, which is New

Jersey) with religious people (The Hierophant), who were also

his friends (6 of Cups). They were helping him get th ings under

control (The Magician ). Numerologically, she was in a 5 per

sonal day which brings unexpected happenings. Astrologica lly,

Venus was going retrograde, which brings old looes back on th e

scene. (This is advanced astrology but something you will natu

rally absorb by osmosis. Another planetary phenomenon known

as Mercury retrograde is a term becoming very mainstream

nowadays. This you will also pick-up via osmosis.) I added that

she might hear from him that evening. She then informed me

that he had a drink ing problem, and she thought he had gone to

a monastery in New Jersey where the monks were kind to him

and would help him to deal with his alcoholism.

That evening he showed up at th e restaurant where she

worked. He had, in fact, been with th e monks in New Jersey.

I was working at a forti eth birthday partv in Forest Hills,

New York, It is a magn ifi cenr neighbor hood with stately old

homes, and th e party actually took place in a large Victoria n

house.

I had read for th e hostess, [aclyn, who was also the birthdaygirl. T he lasr person to be read was her husband, Mallin. They

were a lovely couple, each with their own thr iving businesses,

and th ey had two young sons.

Mallin shuffled the cards. I dealt out the Advanced Celtic

Cross Spread.

"It's so confusing!" I gulped. "There is so much disorganiz

ation." I couldn't make any sense out of it. None of the cards

connected with each other and with my expe rience, I should

have been able to have seen something in th is spread.

THE ULTIMATE QUESTION 18 1

Jad yn burst out laughing, "Mall in is disorganized. You got

it!" T his is a good example of how you literally have to say

what you see. My instant impression was that of disorganizarion.

And it actually played directly inro a correct interpretation .

I asked Mallin to reshuffle the cards, while noting he was in

a 5 personal year.This means expect the unexpected. Viewing the

new spread, in th e position of the home, was th e 4 of Wands, 10

of Cups, and the 10 of Pentacles. In the position representing

the que renr (you) was The Tower. In September Mallin wou ld

be in a 5 personal monr h as well as a 5 personal year, a double

whammy of expecr the unexpected.

"You' re going to move in Septembe r," I informed him .

"But we just moved inro thi s house a few monrhs ago!"

shrieked the birthday girl. "I don 't wanr to move again !"

Once more, I stuck to my guns while husband and wife kept

insisting they would not be moving in the near future. Several

months later, Jadyn called to invi te me to work at thei r son's

bar mitzvah .

"I must tell you th is," [aclvn's voice bubbled with cnthusi

asrn, "In September, Mallin suddenly decided he couldn't stand

th at house; so we moved to ano ther only a few blocks away. We

were really impressed with your predic tion; although we both

disagreed, you didn't waver at all."

The moral of this story is, always call it as you sec it.

One time I was read ing at a corpora te Christmas party, I told

one of th e hostesses she would have a problem with her car.

T he Knight of Swords fell next to the Knight of Penrades. Af

ter th e party she went to her car which was parked on the

street. It had a big denr in it!

Inrerestingly enough, car problems are fairly easy to pick up

on. The Kn ight of Swords falling near The Chariot (svmbolu-

18 2 THE 2 -HOUR TAROT TUTOR

ing a vehicle} or ano ther knight is a sure ind ication of this.

Case in point. the readin g I gave a student at a small midwest

ern college.I had been imported to a small college in a small town (out

side of O maha . Nebraska) with a population of only seven

thousand. In that neck of the woods. th e students had never

seen anything like a real-life for tune-reller, and the advisor

wanted to expose th em to many aspects of th e real uurId. It was

a very recepti ve crowd.One student in particu lar caught my eye. He was an older

student with a fascina ting multicolored necktie. I gave him a

very upbeat forecast. except for my closing statement. The

Knight of Swords fell next to The Chariot.

"Youare going to have trouble with a car," I affirmed.

A few weeks later. I received a th ought ful lerter from the

student. He complimented me on the accu rate reading and

said I had converted him to a true believer. However, he had

been certa in th at my forecast about a car problem would never

come to pass because he had recent ly purchased a brand -new

Saturn , well-known for reliability. That afte rnoo n he was driv

ing on the highway towards O maha when a car from behind

plowed int o him. He knew instantly that was th e car problem.

I wrote back expressing my sorrow about th e car and th anking

him for being so gracious as to give me th e much appreciated

feedback.Another time I told a client she would rake an unexpected

trip and meet a lawyer who would become her friend and busi

ness partner. Justice, The World, and the 2 of Cups fell in the

Ninth House of the Advanced Horoscope Spread. The Tower

was in the Third House. A few days later she made an unex-


peered visit to Philadelph ia and met a lawyer who soon became

her business advisor and friend .

Using th e Advanced Horoscope Spread for a querent, the 5

of Swords. th e Q ueen of Wands, and the Ace of Wands came

up in the Eighth House. This looked like a difficulty with an in

surance matter but it wou ld be resolved. A few days later my

client got into a squabble about an insurance matt er (5 of

Swords in the Eighth House of other people's money) . A pleas

ant , fair-minded woman (Q ueen of Wands) sided with my

client. With in one month (Ace of Wands) payment of the

money due was received.

While atte nd ing a college conference one October. I gave a

reading to a coed from an exclusive school near Philadelphia.

The Knight of Swords, King of Swords. Ace of Swords, The

Magician , and th e Queen of Wands came up in the spread. I

told her she would have a problem with a car and an autho rity

figure, a cryptic message. However, here again I was read ing th e

symbols.

Months later the committee brought me in for the Spring

Fling. The student couldn' t wait to tell me what had happened.

It was early one evening when her boss, the student activities

director, asked her to run an errand for th e committee.

"She told me to take her car," said the coed . "Then I acci

dentally parked in a no-pa rking zone. I hadn't realized it. I just

parked and ran the errand. Wh en I returned to th e car. a cop

was standing there writi ng a ticket. I got into a big fight with

him. You also told me I had a bad temper. Then the cop wanted

to see the car registration. Wh en he saw it wasn't my car, he

thought I'd stolen it. I told him I had permission to use it. But

he didn' t believe me and called my boss. Wh at a mess!"


It was a Tuesday evening. I had just given myself a man icure

when the phone tang. Gingerly I picked up th e receiver so as

not to smudge the wet fingernails. It was a friend calling. She

want ed to refer a woman from out of town to me.

"She wants to talk to a psychic," my friend told me. "Can

you see her right awayI""Yes," I said. But I secret ly worr ied about ruin ing my perfect

manicu re.

It was a needless concern because by the time th e referral

and her husband arrived at my apartme nt , my nails were dry

and I was able to work dexterously with the cards. They were a

stunning couple. A beautiful Southe rn belle and handsome

husband, both chicly dressed; th ey made Barbie and Ken look

plain .I commenced with the reading, start ing with the Advanced

Celtic Cross Spread. The first card th at came up was The

Moon .

"Your dreams are telling you something," I reported.

The woman immediately told me she had been having a re

curring dream that disturbed her. That 's why she want ed the

consultation.

This is an excellent example of inswnt [ocus . I had immedi

ately locked into psych ic mode and made a connection with

the firs t card th at was placed down. I had threaded th e needle!

And, the recurring dream was the whole key to the reading.

St ill, I cont inued laying out th e cards. The Queen of

Swords, 7 of C ups, 7 of Swords, and 9 of Wands came up. I sug

gested the re was lot of jealousy around her from other women.

It was not surprising because th e lady was so gorgeous! She was

aware of problems with three women in her office. She was also

in the position to terminate th em and thought that was exactly


what she would have to do. But it was the validation of the fre

quent dream in the Tarot card, The Moon, th at gave the lovely

lady th e most reassuring insight and the strength to trust the

messages from her own subconscious mind .

Decembe r 13, 1994. TV Tokyo was interviewing psychics in

various inte rnational cit ies for a variety show. I was the designared hirler for The Big Apple, New York C ity, th e greatest cityin th e world !

Several Japanese technicians swarmed about my midsize

New York C ity studio apartment. Speaking in Japanese, which

is nor my second language, they swiftly tan around pulling our

plugs, hooking up lights, and litera lly laking over my humbledwellin g.

"You unplugged the VCR!" I gasped. I had want ed to catch

them before they pulled OUI thaI plug. VCRs are so complicated

to program. But it was too late.

To furthe r add to the confusion, th e young Japanese reporter

hardly spoke English. Wh en it was lights, camera, action, he

asked me in a thi ck accent, "What do you see for [apan ?"

I had never before been asked to give a reading for a country,

I was curious about what the cards would say. I spread th em out

on my desk facedown. "Pick th ree,' I instruct ed him.

One-by-one, he handed me three cards, The World , The

Tower and th e 10 of Swords. The message was clear and terri fying.

"An earthquake," I whispered. "I see an earthquake."

January 17, 1995. A devastating earthquake hit the populous

Japanese city of Kobe. The cards had predicted it. This was one

of th e most unusual revelat ions I had ever seen them yield. It

clear ly illustrates their unfathomable power.

For the record, th is interview never aired in the United


States but only in Japan on December 17, 1994. The prophecy

was edited out. Television is enterta inment and negative fore

casts are unwelcome. Instead I was featu red answering questions

about Michael Jackson. I did however call th e producer and the

report er, who both remembered the extrao rdinary augury.

It can only get worse. December 2000. This uncanny revela

t ion will haunt me forever. For the third year in a row, I was in

vited to ente rta in at an exclusive corporate Christmas party. As

we sailed around New York Harbor on a luxurious yach t, I non

cha lantly helped myself to the cavia r and scrumptious hors

d'ocu vrcs,

A woman I remembered from the previous years sat before

me and shu ffled the cards. The Tower, the 4 of Wands, and the

10 of Pent acles came up in the spread. A t tha t time she was in

a 4 persona l year. But in ZOO I she would be in a 5 personal year,

and in September of ZOO I she would be in a 5 persona l month,

a double dose of expect the unexpectedl The 4 of Wand s and th e

10 of Pentacles looked like an office to me. With The Tower

next to it and th e num erological vibrati on of the unfJredictable

coming up, I predicted there would be a new office in Sept em

ber of ZOO!.

"The re arc no plans for a new office," she counte red

"Maybe the company will be growing rapidly," I insisted.

She shoo k her head. "No, no."

We were seated on a plush whit e, horseshoe-shaped leather

couch, and surrounded by several othe r people. They all knew

me well enough to agree th at when Wilma says it's going to

happen, it's going to happen . But everyone listen ing firmly dis

agreed with my forecast and mainta ined ano the r office was a

total improbability. However, I saw the same indicati on for two

othe r people, The Tower appearing in both of th eir spreads.

THE ULTIMATE QUESTION 18 7

September 11, ZOO!. Their office was on th e eigh ty-n int h

floor of Tower One! Thank God they all got out safely! Quickly

they moved to a new office in anothe r part of Manhatt an,

One of the most astonish ing episodes of my Tarot card ad

ventures too k place on live television. It was Oc tobe r 3 1, ZOOO,

Halloween. I was invited to appear on U,,, With Regis. What an

hon or! What an opportunity!

The show was momentarily in a sta te of flux. Kathie Lee

had just left , and Regis was still looking for another co-host.

Each day they had a different pinch h iller and on this part icu

lar Halloween, Regis was join ed by his stunning wife, Joy. The

set was decora ted like a medieval castle and Regis and Joy were

dressed as a medieval king and queen. Wardrobe wrapped me

in a purple velvet cape with a high collar, so I would have a

wizardly look .

Regis Philbin's show is one of the most popular on daytime

TV. It's broadcast in front of a live audience and viewed na

tionally. I had informed several people of the appearance, most

of whom had never before seen me on television . But this time

they would all be watching: my parents, uncles, aunts, cousins,

and friends.

I had a lot riding on thi s performance because having a

fortune-teller in the family is an embarrassment. It's too eccen

tric a profession . This was my big chance to prove I knew what

I was doing; th at I was genuinely learned about occult studies;

that I was serious about my craft.

In between agonizing over hair and makeup, mailers were

further complicated when I was prompted abou t th e most sig

nificant question I would be asked to divine. Regis want ed me

to predict , using Tarot cards, th e winner of the upcom ing pres

idential electi on, only days away. For th e second time in my ca-

168 THE 2 - HOUR TAROT TUTOR THE ULTIMATE QUESTION 189

BUSII

The 2000 P",idm.ial Elu.ion as Pon nukd in Taro' CaT.!.

Kniiht of WanJs

KNIGHT of WAl\ns.

gOR E

lOut'Wand.

DIAGRAM 6.1

III would be th e next president of the United Sta te of America.

There was applause from the audience. along with some

boos! Regis protected me.

"It's Halloween. you know, lighten up!" he shouted.

reer, I had a request to answer a mundane question using Tarot

cards. which are normally consulted to answer persona l ques

tions. For a while I had been feeling in every fiber of my being

th at Bush would be th e next president. But I was eager to see

this premon ition supported in the cards.

Arou nd 9:30 A .M . I was brought onto th e set. After briefly

speaking about the history of Tarot cards and comment ing on

the much maligned and misunderstood Death card, I was asked

by Regis to make the powerful prognosis.

"Who will win the presidential election ?" he queried.

I asked Regis to pull three cards to represent Bush and three

cards to represent Gore. I lined them up as he handed them to

me one-by-one (See Diagram 6.1). In the Bush line-up the

cards were th e 4 of Pentacles. th e 10 of Wands. and the Knight

of Wands. For Gore th e cards were The High Priestess. The

Star. and th e 9 of Swords. I was puzzled. From the cards' assort

ment. the winner was impossible to determine. There was no

clear answer as to whom it would be. (Ironically, that was the

correct answer, but , it didn't make any sensel )

Admittedly television is hardly a suitable forum for a serious

divination . There arc so many different energies pouring in and

swirling around. But I also knew from years and years of obser

vation that the messages are always coming through. and even

th ough the cards were not giving me an obvious direct answer,

nothing should ever be discredited. Nevertheless. I had no time

to ponder! This was live television . Every second counts .

Although not at all conclusive, the cards for Bush did look

more favorable (but not winning). However. my strong psych ic

feeling all along had been telling me Bush would be the next to

inhabit the Wh ite House. So on live television, in front of all

Ame rica, my family and friends. I affi rmed tha t George W. Bush


Pleased with my performance, my family was equally im

pressed. Now they were proud lO have a television celebrity in

the family. They rolled out the red carpet for me.

But then th e unimaginable happen ed. The winner could not

be decided ! There was a confusion about th e votes. For th ree

weeks my career dangled by a dimpled chad. There isn 't even a

Tarot card lO represent a dimpled chad!

Finally it was announced. I let out a big sigh of relief and

basked in th e glory of havin g made an outstanding and accu

rate predict ion on U,,, With Regis. Bush was declared th e win

ner of the presidential election. But had he really won !

Four months passed. I kept having a gnawing feeling th at in

ligh t of what had happened, I should lake ano the r look at the

tape, Maybe there was someth ing in th e cards th at would ex

plain th e confusion surrounding the electi on. I had completely

forgotten wh ich cards had come up. Was I ever in for a shoc k!

It was the cards in Gore's pile that disturbed me. T he High

Priestess could be int erpreted as a secret, The Star as a winner,

and the 9 of Swords as loss because of deception. Were th e

cards saying that Gore was the real winner, and it was a secret

thaI ul()u!d neoercome OUI ?

I remembered on the show think ing th at Bush's cards were

more fortunate, But th ey did not show an easy win, and at that

moment I had no idea what that meant . But here I saw it on

the tape. I th ink the cards were portending an omino us and in

credulous message. Messages are always coming through. I th ink

th e cards were trying lO tell me someth ing th at totally tran

scended our framework of th ink ing, someth ing too farfetched

to be imaginable. After all, who would have ever th ought a

presidential elect ion in th e Uni ted Slates of America would

not produce a winner!


While Bush ultim ately d id become th e next president, there

was someth ing that happen ed in between. That is what the

cards were port endi ng: that there was going lo be someth ing

very fishy about th at electi on. And Ge orge W. Bush wasnot go

ing lo win fair and square. So saith the TamI cards! The presiden

tial election of 2000 will remain , without a doubt, one of ourh istor y's greatest mysteries.

I could go on and on and on. I have seen such a wide range

of mail ers in Tarot cards: domestic violence, speeding tickets,

await ing phone messages, surprise engagements, sudden reloca

t ions, and race-ho rse winners. Tarot cards always raIk. At times

you will see th ings you cannot even believe you are seeing. The

power of the cards sho uld never be underestimated. Their reve

lat ions will always be great , profound, inspiring and awesome.

It is simply up lo the reader to listen.

Note: It is very rare to see death in the cards. NEVER pred ict

it . If you think you see it, proceed with great caution. Suggest

to th e querent that now is th e time lo make peace with anyone

she has to and to let the people she loves know how much they

have meant to her and that she is glad they have been in herlife.

VII

F I ALE : THE LAST

pICTU RE SHOW

POSSIBLE M EANINGS TO T HE C ARD S

"My head is spinning with ideas. Now I see things in the cards I

had never before seen!" Katy eagerly exclaimed.

Katy was a social worker who moonlighted as a painter and

photographer, She was drawn to Tarot cards because of th eir

rich and colorful imagery.

"I've made up so many of my own meanings, I'll have to

write th em down to remember."

In th is final chapter th ere are possible meanings to the cards,

possible meanings in combinations and/o r posit ions; and, under

Notes andk» Observations, th ere is a space to write your own

mean ings and int erpretations.


*DO NOT REFER TO T HIS CHAPTER UNT IL T HE

EXERC ISES IN T HE FIRST 2 HOUR S HAVE BEEN

CORRECT LY COMPLET ED!

One of the most fascinati ng aspects of Tarot cards is that

everyone sees something different in them. While Marie may sec

one thing, Sean sees someth ing else. or Janet and Erica may see

someth ing tota lly different. All are correct. But it is important

to look at the canIs. The more you look. th e more you sec.

This book teaches you how to develop your own meanings to

the cards easily, spont aneously, and int uitively. Therefore these

meanings arc possibilities on ly. They are not written in stone.

and this cha pter is included only to help prime th e pump. It is

import ant to conti nue developing your own meanings and not

to depend on th ese possibilities.I have developed the majoriry of th ese meanings over the

years, and my interpreta tions arc of a very practica l natu re.

However I do add a small blend of traditional meanings. Plus.

th ere are possible meanings for some of the cards as th ey fall in

prox imity to each other or surround each ot her in a spread, as

well as possible meanings for some of the cards as they may fall

in various positions of ce rtain spreads.

TH E M AJ O R A RCANA

THE MAJOR ARCANA 197

T HE MAGICIAN.

T ilE 1'IACJICIAN

Possible Meanings: corporate or political leadership, decision maker,

executive ability, power, willpower, cont rol. skill . mastery, self-confidence

Possible Meanings In Combinat ions and/or Position s: Ncar the 5 of

Wands it may mean corporate poli tics; near the 7 of Wands it may mean

political power struggles; in the 1st House of the Horoscope Spread, it

may mean a strong, powerful. or controlling individual.

NOTES AND/OR OBSERVATIONS


T IIB III g11 PIII BST BSS

THE MAJOR ARCANA

III

T IIB BJ\I P IIBSS

199

Possible Meanings: secrets , co nfidential information, wisdom, hidden or

esoteric knowledge, intui tive or psychic ability, a reserved or private

woman, beh ind-the -scenes influences

Possible Meanings In Combinations and/ or Positions: Ncar The Lovers it

may mean a sec ret romance; near The De vil it may mean a jea lous en

emv; near the 7 of Swords it may mean behind-the-scenes deception ; in

the 2nd House of the Horoscope Spread it may mean hidden money; in

the 12th House of the Horoscope Spread it may mean hidden forces or

espionage


Possible Meanings: a mother, mother-typ e figure (grandmother or aunt ),

a mother-ro-be (a pregnant wo man) , artist ic or crea tive ability.

Possible Meanings In Combinations and/ or Positions: N car T he Sun it

may mean a pregnancy: near the 3 of Cups and/or the 9 of Cups it may

mean a baby shower: in the home of any spread it may mean a mother

comes for a visit; in the home of any spread and near the 9 of Pentacles it

may mean redecorating.



THE EMPEROR.

TII~ ~ J\I PC IIO II

Possible Meanings: a fath er, fath er-type figure (grandfath er or uncle) , ac

cou ntant . politician. conservative statesman, lawyer, an autho rity figure.

a strong o lder man

Poss ible Meanings In Combinations and/or Positions : Near The King of

S words it may mean a conse rvative accountant ; near the King of Penta

d es it may mean a man who adamantly or stubborn ly refuses to change

his beliefs; in the 9th House of the Horoscope Spread it may mean a col

lege professor; in the horne of any spread it may mean a father comes for a

visit.



TH E HIEROPHANT.

TII ~ III CIIOIJlI A NT

Possible Meanings: a priest o r religious person, an accountant , a lawyer. a

judge. relig-ious matters

Possible Meanings In Combinations and/ or Positions: Near The Lovers it

may mean a wedding or com mitment ceremony; nca r T he Sun it may

mean a baptism or bar mitzvah; in the 9th House of the HoroscopeSpread it may mean religious studies; in the 9th House of the Horoscope

Spread and near The World it may mean travel to a cou ntry where religion is an issue {e.g., Israel, India, Iran, Saudi Arabia) .



TII~ LOV~IIS

THE MAJOR ARCANA

TII~ C IIA II I OT

203

Possible Mean ings: love [physical and/o r spiritual}, a married or engaged

couple. harmony, unit y

Possible Meanings In Combinations and/or Pos itions: Nea r the 2 of Cups

and/or the J of Cups it may mean a wedding or engagement party; near

The World it may mean meet ing a romantic inte rest on a trip or a lover

from afar; near The Devil it may mean jealousy in love or spousa l abuse;

in the 5th House of the Horoscope Spread it may mean exciti ng ro

mance .


Possible Mean ings: moving forward with a new project . success, accom

plishm ent. focus, direc tion, an automobi le, nave l in comfort or in a lux

ury car

Possible Meanings In Combinations and/or Positions: Nea r the Knight of

Swords it may mean a probl em with a new car or th e purchase of a new

car is a necessity; ncar the 9 of Pentacles it may mcan cosmetic workdon e on a car; in the 2nd House of the Horoscope Spread it may mean financ ial advanc ement .

NOnES AND/OR OBSERVATIONS


STRENGTH.

STR~NgT"

THE MAJOR ARCANA

\

THE HERMIT.

T" ~ " ~R~IIT

~05

Possible Meanings: strengt h , cou rage, bravery, a pet or an animal. a piece

of furniture

Possible Meanings In Combinations and/or Pos~lons: Near The Empress

it may mean a strong, powerful. feminine woman; near The Magician itmay mean a powerful individual in control of a situation; near the 6 of

Cups it may mean children want a pet: near the 5 of Cups it may mean apet messes up the house; near the 5 of Wands it may mean athletic

strength; near the 9 of Cups it may mean strength and willpower in diet'iog; in the home of any spread and near the 3 of Cups it may mean friendscome (0 the home for a visit with their pet.


Posslble Meanings : solitude, a spiritual journey. aloneness or lonelureevaluating a situation. distancing oneself fmm a situation. research

Possible Meanings In Combinations and/or Pos~lons: Near the I of

Wands it may mean looking for a new job; near the 6 of Pentacles it "mean financial research; in the home of any spread it may mean 1~IIaY

ngfor a new house or apartment.

Nom; AND/OR OBSERVATIONS

JUSTICE.


W IIl: l: L O f f O RTUN l:


j us'rrc e

Possi ble Mean ings : good luck or sudde n good fortune , unexpected orror~

(Unity, gambling

Possible Meanings In Combinations and/ or Posit ions: Near The Fool it

may mea n taking risks; ncar the Page of C ups it may mean a message

hearing good news; near th e 2 of Pent acles it may mean lucky money; in

the 5th House of the Horoscope Spread it may mean luck in gambling; in

the 9th House of the Horoscope: Spread it may mean opport unity from

faraway; in the 10t h House of th e Horoscope Spread it may mean a lucky

caree r opportunity,

NOTESAND/OR OBSERVATIONS

Possible Meanings: a lawyer. a judge, an accountant, legal mat ters, a fair

dec ision

Possible Meanings In Combinations and/or Positions: Near the 7 of

Wands it may mean legal power struggles; near The Star it may mean

good news about a legal matter; in the 7th House or 9t h Houses of the

Horoscope Spread it may mean a lawyer o r indicat e legal issues; in the

home of any spread it may mean talking to a lawyer about a legal issue re

latin g to the home.

NOTES ANO/OR OBSERVATIONS

Z08 THE 2 -HOUR TAROT TUTOR

THE HANGED MAN.

T HE HAN g ED M A N

THE MAJOR ARCANA Z09

D EATH

Possible Meanings: sacri fice. self-sacrifice. martvnlorn. self-surrender.letting-go. giving something up. a co-dependent personality

Possible Meanings In Combinations and/or Positions: Near th e 6 of Pen

tacles it may mean giving to cha rity or doing charity work: near Death itmay mean letting go of old values; near The Lovers it may mean giving

too much in a relationship; near the 8 of Pentacles and/or in the 6th

House of the Horoscope Spread it may mean feeling taken adva ntag e of

in the workplace.


1I

•

Possible Meanings: a new cycle of life. a new consciousness. changes.

spiritual rebirth and/or growt h. psychotherapy, clearing away psychologi

cal obstacles, unfinished business, an issue from the past comes back.

(Wh ile I have clearly defined Death as ushering in a new beginning, I

have, however. found it can ind icate an old issue that is unfi nished bust

ness or not completely concluded and resurfaces to be reworked and set'

rled.)

Possible Meanings In Combinations and/or Positions: Near the Ace of

Swords and/or the King of Swo rds it may mean a tax matter or talking to

an accountant about a serious tax matter; nea r The Lovers and/or the

Knigh t of Pentacles it may mean an old love returns; in the 8th House of

the Horoscope Spread it may mean owing back taxes; in the home of any

spread it may mean a new home or a total refurb ishing.



T EMPERANCE.

TB~I PBRANCB

THE MAJOR ARCANA

T U B J> BVI L

211

Possible Mean ings: balance. self-control, an even temper and/or ca lm de..

meanor

Possible Meanings In Combination s and/ or Position s: Near The Sun it

may mean a hea lth y, well..balanced diet ; near th e Z of Pent acles it may

mean a balanced budget ; near Just ice it may mean a fair and/or well..

negoti ated legal decision : ncar the Ace of Swords and/or th e 7 of C ups it

may mean medication needed for stress..related problems; in the 6th

House of the Horoscope Spread it may mean a hannonious work env i

moment.


Possible Meanings: anger. gu ilt, jealousy, greed. violence . revenge. vin

dictiveness, negat ive thinking and/or moti vat ions

Possible Meanings In Combinations and/ or Posit ions: Near th e 8 of C ups

it may mean walking away from evi l temptat ions: nea r The Moon it may

mean negative emotions; near the King of Pentacles it may mean a finan

dally decept ive and/or dishon est man ; in the J rd House of the He ro

scope Spread it may mean dange rous and/or evil neighbors or an

unsavory element int iltrat ing the neighborhood ; in the I Ith House of

the Horoscope Spread it may mean jealous friends.


r

r;m:I

l

THE 2 - HOUR TAROT TUTOR

THETOWER.

-ruc T O WE ll

Possible Meanings: a sudden change in schedule, an unexpected change

in plans, a hect ic schedu le. unforeseeable catastrophe

Possible Meanings In Combinations and/ or Positions: Ncar the S of Pen

tacles it may mean an unexpected and costly financia l responsibility; ncar

the 5 of Swords it may mean a sudden and violent argume nt; near the

Wh eel of Fortune it may mean sudden luck that throws one's life into

chaos (Ba areful what :1OU wish for. :1OUjus' mightget it! ); in th e S,h H ouse

of the Horoscope Spread it may mean a whirlwind romance: in the 9th

House of the Horoscope Spread it may mean an unexpected trip.


•

•

I Ht MAJUH AH l;ANA .l l.J

-rnc STA ll

Possible Meanings: fame, recogn ition , success, a promo tion, inspiration

PossIble Meanings In Combinations and/or PosItions: Near the King of

Swords it may mean good news from a doctor or an accountant; Ol..-ar tbe9 of Pentacles it may mean a famous actress; in the 5th House of the Horo

scope Spread it may mean artistic orcreat ive inspiration : in the 10th House

of the Horoscope Spread it may mean recogn ition in career.



THE MOON.

T ill; MOO N T ill; S UN

THE MAJOR ARCANA 2 15

Possible Mean ings : intui tion, psychic powers, dreams, the fourth dimen

sion, astral projection , digestive problems. setbacks, and delays

Possible Meanings In Combinations and/or Positions: Nea r th e King of

Swords it may mean a dcmal problem necessitating a visit to the dentist;

near the Ace of Swords it may mean a troubling message or e-mail: nearthe 7 of Cups it may mean alcohol anJ/ordrug abuse; near the Knight ofSWONsand/or the 5 of CliPS it may mean a car has an a il leak: near the

4 of Wands and/or th e 3 of Pen tacles and/o r in th e home of any spread it

may mean plumbing repairsare needed orseriouswater or swimming pool

problems.


•

Possible Meanings: jo)'. confidence, opt imism. happiness, good health. a

youthful alt itude. good new>,a baby

Possible Mean ings In Combinations and /or Pos itions: Near th e King of

Swords it may mean good new s from a doc tor or a dent ist ; nea r the Ace

of C ups it may mcan good new s in one Jay or one wee k; near the

Queen of C ups h may mean a seaside resort ; in the 6th House of the

Horoscope Spread it may mean go ing on a health kick; ncar The World

and/or in the 9th House of the Horoscope Spread it may mean travel (0 a

wann , sunny and/or dry climate; ncar th e 5 of Pentacles anJ/or in the

~ of any spread it may mean a costly heating repair; in the home of

any spread it may mea n joy in the abode .


2 16 THE 2 ·HOUR TAROT TUTOR

JUD<j EJ\l ENT

THE MAJOR ARCANA 2 17

T ilE WO IIL.D

Possible Meanings: an awakening, a revelation . a sudden awareness, re

ncwed vitality, big news

Possible Meanings In Combinations and/or Positions: Near the H igh

Priestess it may mean a secret co mes out; near the Page of C ups it may

mean someone delivers an important message: in the 3rd House of the

Horoscope Spread it may mean an important message; in th e 9th House

of the Horoscope Spread it may mean a spiritual awakening.


r,

Possible Meanings: travel, a foreigncountry, a faraway place, worldly sue.

cos, international business

Possible Meanings In Combinations and/ or Posit ions: Near the Knight of

Pent acles it may mean a foreigner; near the 3 of Wands it may mean bustness expansion or business at a distance; ncar the 8 of Wands and/or in

the JrJ House of the Horoscope Spread it may mean a message from afar;in the 9th Houseof the Horoscope Spread it may mean travel to a foreigncountry; in the home of any spread it may mean a home abroad or at a dislance .



TII B f O O L

Possible Meanings : innocence. risk taking, new adventures. foolishness

Possible Meanings In Combinati ons and/or Posit ions: Ncar th e 7 of Pen

tacles it may mean a speculative financial investment : near the 10 of Pen

lades it may mean a risky business undertaking; near the Knight of

Swords it may mean reckless driving; near the Page of Swords it mav

mean fooli sh impulsiveness; in the 5th House of the Horoscope Spread itmay mean daredevil adventures.


t·

T HE MINOR AR CA NA

THE MI NOR ARCANA 22 1

AC E O f p E NT AC LES

Possible Meanings : prosperi ty, wealth, business deals. real estate or prop

ert y investment, good news abou t money, long-term financial planning, a

business project is successful in one year

Possible Meanings In Combinations and/or Positions : Near the 6 of Pen

tacles it may mean sound financial adv ice; near the Ace of Wands and/o r

the 8 of Wands it may mean sign ing papers for business matters or real es

ta te deals; in the Sth House of the Horoscope Spread it may mean an in

heritance. near the 10 of Pentacles and/or the 4 of Wands and/or in the

home of any spread it may mean buying or selling a home.



J[

2 O f P E NTA CLl;S

THE MINOR ARCANA

3 O f P E NT A C Ll; S

223

Possible Meanings: finan cial stability or solvency, a hoar or hoar ride.

eyeglasses

Possible Mean ings In Comb inat ions a nd/or Positions: Ncar the Knight of

Wands it may mean a motorcycle or bicycle: ncar the Ace of Swords it

may mean an eye exam; ncar The Sun it may mean sunglasses: near The

C hariot or the Knight of Swords it may mean a car needs a new tire or a

wheel alignment; in the JrJ House of the Horoscope Spread it may meanmon ey is sent in the mail.


Possible Meanings : an artist, an artisan , a church, repairs or work being

don e in the home, a c1a5S, a study group

Possible Mean ings In Comb inations a nd/ or Posnlons : Nea r the J of Cupsit 111<1V mean a theater group or pcrfonn ing in a play; near the 5 of Wands

it may mean a dance or an exerc ise class; near The C harte r it may mean

repair work on a car; in the 6th House of the Horoscope Spread it may

mean a refurbishing of the workplace; in the 9th House of the Horoscope:Sp read it may mean study abroad.


I22 4 THE 2 -HOUR TAROT TUTOR

4- O f P (; NT A C LCS

THE MINOR ARCANA 225

5 O f P C NT ACLCS

Possible Meanings: saving money, economizing. frugality, hard work for

low wages

Possible Meanings In Combinations and/or Positions : Near the 6 of

Swords it may mean low-budget travel; ncar the 8 of Pentacles it may

mean building financially for one's own business; near The Hanged Man

it may mean making financial sacrifices: in the l st House of the Horo

scope Spread it may mean a frugal or selfish individual.


Possible Meanings: financia l loss. financial worry, bad investme nts

Possible Meanings In Combinations and/ or Positions: Nea r the Ace of

Swords it may mean overextension of credit or excess ive use of credit

cards: ncar the 10 of Cups and/or the 10 of Pentacles and/or in the homeof any spread it may mean a door or window is broken; near The Moonand/or the 5 of Cups and/or in the home of any spread it may mean a

plumbing or water problem in the bathroom or kitchen , a leak must berepaired. or a problem with a swimming pool.


226 THE 2 - HOUR TAROT TUTOR THE MINOR ARCANA 227

@@

®

szr;

® ®®

6 O f P l>NT AC Ll>S

Possible Mean ings : making cha ritable donations , J:iving or asking for

finan cial advice . borrowing or lend ing money

Possible Meanings In Combinations and/ or Positions: Ncar the Ki ng of

Swords. King of Pent acles. or Justice it may mean financial advice from

an account ant or lawyer; near the 5 of Swords anJ/or the 7 of C ups it may

mean dishonest or decepti ve financial advice; in the 11th House of the

Horoscope Spread it may mean financial advice from a friend.


7 O f p E NT AC LES

Possible Mea nings : long-term investments, di vidends. or int erest from

investments, financia l rewards, restructuring one's ronfolio. sat isfact ion

from work efforts

Possible Meanings In Combinations and/ or Positions: Near the 6 of C ups

it may mean gardening or farming; near the 10 of C ups and/or the 10 of

Pent acles and/or th e Ace if Pen tacles it may mean buying a farm; in the

9th House of the Horoscope Spread it may mean saving money for travel

o r ed ucation; in the home or an y spread it may mean investing money for

home improvement.


ZZ8 THE 2 - HOUR TAROT TUTOR

8 O f p E NTACLES

THE MINOR ARCANA

9 Of P E NTA CLES

ZZ9

Possible Meanings: work opportunities, emplovmenr. self-employment,

hard work, a c raftsman

Possible Meanings In Combinations and/or Positi ons: Near the 3 of

Wands it may mean work opportunities from a distance; near the Ace of

Swords it may mean a message in one hour, one day, or one week about

employment; ncar the 7 of Wands it may mean power struggles at work;near the 4 of Wands and/or in the home of any spread it may mean a

home office; in the home of any spread it may mean repair work in the

home.


Possible Meanings: a new self-image. a shopping Spfl~. expensive tastes,

a lady of le isure, enjoying luxurious and material comforts.

Possible Meanings In Combinatio ns and/ or Positions: Near the Q ueen of

Cups and/or T he Empress it may mean a complete make over or new hair

style; near the J of C ups it may mean buying a new dress for a part y; near

the 8 of Wands it may mean mail order clothing; in the home or any

spread it may mean redecorating the home.



10 O f P E NT A C L e S

THE MI NOR ARCANA

p A <je O f p e NT A C L e s

231

Possible Meanings: a shop, a boutique, a restaurant , a department store,

corpo rate headquarters, an office . an ex pens ive house

Possible Meanings In Combinations and/ o, Positions: Near the 3 of

Swords it may mean business worries; near the 9 of C ups it may mean

dinner at a fou r-star restaurant; near the 3 of C ups it rnav mean a party in

a restaurantor catering hall; in the Znd House of the Horoscope Spreadit may mean investing money in a business.


Possible Meanings: a student. research. analyzing research, study, a friend

from the past comes hack. an o ld and valuable object (antique or pain t

iog), history, co mputer technology, technical writing

Possible Meanings In Combinations and/or Position s: Ncar the 3 of C ups

it may mean a reunion with o ld friends: near the 3 of Pentacles it may

mean a college class; near The Hermit it may mean researching history;

in the lZrh House of the Horoscope Spread it may mean undercover in

vesn ganon or c lassified research .


2J2 THE 2 - HOUR TAROT TUTOR

KN HJ II T O f p I: NT AC U :S

THE MINOR ARCANA

QU I: E N O f p e TA C IX S

233

Possible Meanings: an expensive or foreign car, publ ish ing, art hi story, a

computer, art or antique investment. th e old cO'Imrry or old uorld style .

property investment. expensive furniture

Possible Meanings In Combinations and/ or Positions: Near the 5 ofWands it may mean betting on horses; near the Ace of Pentacles it may

mean buying a race horse: ncar The Lovers or the 2 of C ups it may mean

the return of an old love; in the 10th House of the Horoscope Spread itmay mcan doing foreign business.


Possible Mean ings: an introspec tive woman, an actress, an artistic

woman , an inte llec tual woman , a business woman, working at a com

purer, reading a book

Possible Meanings In Combinations and/ or Positions: Near the 8 ofWands it may mean a profession al writer; in the 6th House of the Hero..scope Spread it may mean secretarial work; in the 12th House of the

Horosc o pe Spread it may mean a woman wh o handles confidentia l infor

mation .



KING of PENTACLES.

KINg Of P~NTAC LES


AC~ Of C U pS

Possible Meanings: an older man, a wealthy man, a fatherly type. a busi

ness adv isor, a stubborn man set in his ways. a co ntrolling man

Possible Meanings In Combinations and/ or Positi ons: Near the 5 of

Wands it may mean business negotiation s; near the 3 of Pentacles it may

mean a business meet ing; near the 2 of Swords and/or the 7 of C ups it

may mean an older man under stress and/or on medication; in the 7thHouse of the Horoscope Spread it may mean an older husband; in thehome of any spread it may mean a landlord.


Possible Meanings: joy. happiness, love, emot ional fulfillment . good news

in one day or one week

Possible Meanings In Combinations and/ or Posit ions: N ear th e Knight of

C liPS it may mean a message is de livered in o ne day or one week; near the

6 of Cups it may mean gift-giv ing: near the Qu een of Cups it may mean

recei ving a gift of jewel ry; in the 5th House of the Horoscope Spread it

may mean creative fulfillment .



II

2 O f C U pS

i

I

/

THE MINOR ARCANA

ill

3 O f CU pS

237

Possible Meanings: a marriage, a wedding, a love affair. a partnersh ip or a

relation ship, a commitment . harmony, a corporati on

Possible Meanings In Combinations and/or Positions: Near the A ce of

Pentacles it may mean a business partnership; ncar the 7 of Swords it may

mcan a cheat ing spouse; near the 7 o f Pentacl es it may mean joi nt finan

cial inv estme nts; in the~ of any spread it may mean a married couple

comes for a visit.


Pos sible Meanings : a party. a celebration , friends. dancing

Possible Meanings In Combinations a nd/ or Positions: Near [he 9 of Cupsit may mean a dinn er p~, rty ; ncar The Devil it may mean jea lous friends;

near the 5 of Wands it may mean manipulative friends; near the 10 ofPentacles and/or in [he IO[h House of the Horoscope Spread it maymean a big company or large corporation; in the home of any spread it

may mean friends come [0 the home for a visi t or a pany.



4 O f C U p S

THE MINOR ARCANA

v

5 O f C U pS

239

Possible MeanIngs: decisions to be made. indecisiveness. daydreaming,

meditat ion, imagination, laziness, inertia or inactivity

Possible Meanings In Combinations and/or Positions : Neil ' the 7 uf C ups

and/or 7 of Swords it may mean drug and/or alcohol abuse; ncar Th eLovers it may mean a fantasy lover; in the 5th House of the Horoscope

Spread it may mean a creative idea or artistic inspiration ; in the 6th

House of the Horoscope Spread it may mean conte mplating a new job.


Possible Meanings: disappointment , sadness. loss and suffering, depres

sian

Possible Meanings In Combinations and/or Positions: Neil ' the Queen of

Cups it may mean the loss of a piece of jewel ry; near the 6 of Cups it may

mean the loss of a friend; near Th e Sun it may mean all is nOf 105( ; nea r

the 10 of Pent acles it may mean corporate bankruptcy; in the 2nd House

of the Horoscope Spread it may mean financial loss.



6 O f C U p S

THE MINOR ARCANA

7 Of C U p S

24 1

Poss ible Mean ings: siblings, relatives, children playing, friends, friend

ships, gifts, gardening, sha ring

Possible Meanings In Comblnallons and/or Posillons: Near the 3 of Cups

it may mean a children's part y: ncar the 5 of Wands it may mean chil

dren's games; ncar the Ace of Pen tacles it may mean friendships have en

J ured since ch ildhood; near the 4 of Cups it may mean reevaluat ing a

friendsh ip; in th e J rJ House of th e Horoscope Sp read and/or near the

5 of Swords it may mean sibling rivalry.


Possible Meanin gs: confusion . delusion, deception. identity crisis. lack of

confidence . feelings of inadeq uacy, overactive imagination, drug and/or

alcohol abuse

Possible Mean ings In Comblnallons and/or Posillons: Near the 5 of Pen

tacles it may mean financia l deception; near The Moon it may mean hal

lucinat ions; near the Z of C ups it may mean confusion about a

relationship ; ncar the Z of Swords it may mean a react ion (0 medica tion;

in th e 1st House of the Horoscope Spread it may mean a confused seffimage; in the 3rd House of the Horoscope Spread it may mean confusing

rumors and gossip going around .


24 2 THE 2-HOUR TAROT I,~v,OR

1\ O f C U pS


9 O f C U pS

Possible Meanings: turning ,. I.e . . "Way from superficiality, looking for meaningIn lie, uncompromISIng of (, • . . . .

f\e s values. die ting, a recovering alcoho lic

Possible Mean ings In ComblM . fusi nations a nd/ or Positions: Near the Hanged

an It may mean re uSing Ie L. lki l l~ taken advantage 0 (; nearthe 5 of SwordsIt may mean wa mg away rH S

d . rom an argument; in the 7th House of theOt OSCOpe prea It may rtl

' II. I · h · l~m leaving an emotionally empty or unful-n mg re anons tp.

NOTES AND/OR OBSERVATIO",S

Possible Meanings : wish fulfillment. a wish is granted. good luck, saris'

faction . eating well . cooking

Poss ible Meanings In Combinat ions and/or Pos itions: Near the 7 of Cups

anJlorThe Moon it may mean a junk food binge; ncar the Ace of Swordsit may mean fo llowing a restricted diet: near the J of Swordsand/or Th e

Moon it may mean digesti ve upse ts; near The TCN'cr it may mean un ex

peered good luck; in the 7th House of the Horoscope Spread it may meanfulfillment in a relati onship ; in the 10th House of the Horoscope Spread

it may mean luck in career.

NOTES AND/ OR OBSERVATIONS


10 O f C U p S

THE MINOR ARCANA

PAGE of CUPS.

P A<jB O f C U p S

245

Possible Meanings: a new home. a modest home. redecorating, a happy

family life

Poss ible Mean ings In Combination s a nd/ or Positions : Near th e Queen of

Cups and/o r The Moon it may mean a home bywater : near The Hermit

it may mean looking for a new dwelling; ncar the A ce of Wands and/or

the 8 of Wands it may mean sign ing papers for a new home o r signing a

new lease: in the 6th House or th e 10th House of th e Iloroscope Spread

it may mean a new office or a new loca tion for a business.


Possibl e Meanings : a student, a poet, a musician. an emotional individu al

Possibl e Mean ings in Combinations and/or Pos itions: Nea r The Lovers it

may mean an infatuation ; near the 8 of Pent acles it may mean an intem

ship; ncar The Star it may mean recogni tion of an o riginal and creative

enterprise; ncar the 6 of Cups it may mean a baby-sitting job; near the

Zof Pent acles it may mean go ing fishing in a boa t; ncar Th e Foo l it may

mean immaturity; in the 6th House or the 10th House of the Horoscope

Spread it may mean one's first job.



KNIGHT of cups.

KN Hj llT Of C U p S

THE MI NOR ARCANA

QUEEN of CUPS.

Q U E E N O f CU p S

247

Possible Mean ings: a message, a lett er, a phone call. a voice mail, an e

mail, an invitat ion, a messenger

Possible Meanings In Combinations and/or Positions: Ncar the A ce of

C ups it may mean a message contain ing good news: ncar th e 6 of Wands

it may mean cont racts or papers being mailed, near the 5 of Swords it may

mean an angry message or phone ca ll; in th e home of any spread it may

mean a message coming to th e horne.


Possible Mean ings: a loving wife and/or mother. a woman who likes to

cook and sew, a hair stylist or makeup art ist. cosmet ics, jewelry

Possible Meanings in Combinations and/ or Position s: Near th e 9 of Pen

tacles it may mean women 's accessories; near th e " of Wands it rna)" mean

a vacati on home on the beach; near the Ace of Swords it may mean cos

met ic surgery; ncar the 8 of Pentacles and/or in th e 5th House of the

Horoscope Sp read it may mean art ist ic work that is profitable.


ACE of WANDS.


KI Ng O f C U p S

\THE MINOR ARCANA

A CE O f WA ND S

249

Possible Meanings: a sensitive or emot ional man, a man without ambilion or direction. an artist ic man

Possible Meanings In Combinations and/or Positions: Near The Devil it

may mean a man who suppressesanger; nearthe 9 of Wands it may meana suspic ious man: ncar the 8 of Swords it may mean a man who is uncer

tain about his life din ..-ction: in the 5th House of the Horoscope Spread it

may mean a highlycreative but unfocused man.


Possible Meanings: a new project. a creat ive enterprise, a new beginning.

a message abo ut work or business , papers to bestgned

Possible Meanings In Combinations and/or Posit ions: Near The High

Priestess it may mean classified papers; ncar the Z of Pentacles it may

mean money comes in the mail ; near the 10 of Pentacles it may mean the

development of a new departmen t in a corporat ion; near the 3 of Penta

cles it may mean the deve lopm en t of a new product ; in the 6th House or

10th House of the Horoscope Sp read it may mean a new business o r wo rk

vent ure.



.n.

Im


2 O f WA NDS

Possible Meanings: research of any kind. researching new opportunities

for business growth o r new territory for development . loo king into oppo r·

{unities at a distance (usually a westerly directio n)

Possible Meanings In Combinations and/ or Positions: Near The Sun it

may mean co ntemplating travel to a wann sunny clim ate (e .g., California

or Florida) : ncar the Ace of Swords it may mean doing research on the

Internet; ncar The IIerrnit it may mean an intense search or research ; in

the 2nd House of the Horoscope Spread it may mean researching finan

cia l opportunities; in the 5th House of the Horoscope Spread it may

mean researching vacation spots.


•

3 O f WA NDS

Possible Meanings: reviewing business matters, planning business expan

sian . industry

Possible Meanings In Combinations and/or Positions: Near the 7 of Cups

it may mean uncertaint y about business growth; ncar the 4 of Wands it

may mean setting up an office in ano the r cirYi near Th e Tower it may

mean unexpected business development s; in the home of any spread itmay mean mo ving a distance for a new job.



-n/" ..- v


4- Of WA ND S

Possible Mean ings: a home, an apartment. a vacat ion home, a garage, an

additional win g ( 0 a house

Possible Meanings In Combinations and/ or Positions : Near the 2 o~

Wands it may mean looki ng for a new apartment or a vacation home:

ncar the Ace of Pentacles it may mean real estate as an investment ; near

The Hanged Man it may mean a vacation home is a burden; in the homeof any spread it may mean a new home or redec orating.


5 Of WAN DS

Possible Mean ings : business negotiat ions, competition , a sporting event.

tearn sports, working out, exercising, manipulation

Poss ible Mean ings In Combinations and/or Positions: Near Strength it

may mean a discip line..J wo rkout program: near Justice it may mcan legal

wrangling; ncar the 5 of SWONSand/or 7 of Swords it may mean a con

game; nca r the 7 of Wands it may mean polit ical powe r struggles; near

The Moon and/or in rhe 5th House of the Horoscope Spread i, maymean swimming anJlor water sports (e .g., scuba divin g or surfing); in the

7th House of the I Ioroscope Spread it may mean a manipulative partner.



6 O f WAN J>S

THE MINOR ARCANA

7 O f WA J>S

255

Possible Mea nings : sign ing papers. business correspondence. a writer. ad

vem slng. lett ers. messages, (axes, e-mail

Possible Meanings in Combinations and/ or Posit ions: Ncar The H lcro

phant it may mean religious writ ing; near Just ice it may mean legal docu

merits; ncar the Knight of Pen tacles it may mean publish ing books anJ/or

newspaper or magazine art icles; ncar the 2 of Pentacles it may mean pay

ment for writing: ncar The Star it may mean a famous writer; in the 10th

House of th e Horoscope Spread it may mean a wTiting career.


Poss ible Meanings: power struggles, fighting, office politi cs. surrounded

by controlling or difficult people. overwhelmed by such major priorities

th at details bec ome unim portant

Possible Meanings in Combinat ions and/ or Positions: Ncar rhe 3 of C ups

and/or the 6 of C ups it may mean controlling friends; ncar th e 5 of

Swords it may mean violent power struggles; near th e Z of Pent acles it

may mean a high-pressured sales pitch ; in th e Sth Jlouse of the Horo-

scope Spread it may mean a deb t collecto r or a loan shark: in the 1Zth

House of the Horoscope Spread it may mean behind-th e-scen es manipu

lat ion by a secret enemy.



8 Of WAN DS

THE MINOR ARCANA

9 Of WANDS

257

I I

Possible Meanings: air travel over land. travel for business. business 1'3.

peI'S and/or contracts, papers coming from a distance, business growth

Poss ible Meanings In Combinations and/or Positions: Near The Empress

it may mean a message from a mother at a distance; ncar The Loven it

may mean a long-distance relationship; near the Ace of Swords it maymean insurance papers; near the 2 of Cups it may mean a prenuptial

agreement: near the 6 of Wands it may mean many papers are beingsigned ; ncar the Ace of Pen tacles it may mean a will is signed; in the II th

House of the Hor05COpe Spread it may mean messages from farawayfriends.


Possible Meanings: suspicion, caution, surrounded by jealousy, a clever or

shrewd individual who should not be underestimated

Possible Meanings In Combinations and/or Positions: Near the 6 of C ur>

and The Empress it may mean an overly protec tive mother; ncar the 6 of

Pen tacles it may mean suspic ions about money advice; near The Lovers

and/o r the Zo f Cups it may mean a lover or spouse is suspected of chea t

ing; in the 11th House of the Horoscope Spread it may mean doub tingone's friends are since re.


25 8 THE 2- HOUR TAROT TUTOR

10 O f WA NDS

Possible Meanings: overburdened with responsibility, wony, an indepen

dent indiv idua l

Possible Meanin gs In Combinations and/or Positions: Near The Tower it

may mean unexpected extra responsibility; ncar the 8 of Pentacles it may

mean doing everyone else's job; near The Empress it may mean having to

care for a mother; in the 2nd House of the Horoscope Spread it maymean overburdened with financial responsibility; near The Hanged Manand/or the 5 of Pentacles andjor in th e 6th House of the Horoscope

Spread it may mean overworked. unappreciated. and underpaid.



PAGE of WANDS.

P A<J {; Of WANDS

Possible Meanings: planting seeds for a new project or a new undertaking(possibly in an underdeveloped area ), slow and sreadv growth , an innova

tive entrepreneur

Poss ible Meanings In Combinations a nd/ or Pos ltlons: Near the 7 of Pen

tacles it may mean beginning a slow growing but lucrative ent erprise;

ncar Th e Fool it may mean taking a calc ulated risk: near the 3 of Pen ta

d es it may mean starting a new course o r changi ng one's major; in the l st

House of the Horoscope Spread it may mean an in itiator or a leader.



KNIGHT of WANDS.

KN I<JIIT O f WA ND S

THE MINOR ARCANA

QUEEN of WANDS.

QU l::l::N O f WA N D S

261

Possible Meanings: a new car, a fast mover, an adventurer, a driver. going

west

Possible Mean ings In Combinat ions and/ or Positions: Near the Knight of

Swords it may mean a problem with a new car; near the 8 of Pentacles it

may mean ol ivine to work; ncarThe Sun it may mean driving westerly toa dry sunny climate (e .g., Ca lifornia, Arizona, or Colorado ); ncar the 5 of

Wands it may mean cross-country skiing; in the Jrd House of the Horo

scope Spread it may mean driving in the neighborh ood; in the 6th House

of the Horoscope Spread it may mean one whose occupation is driving

[e .g., a taxi or truck driver) .


Possible Meanings : a creative woman, a psychic woman, an honest

woman, a business woman , a writer. wom an's intuit ion. a cat lover or a cat

Possible Meanings In Combinat ions a nd/ or Positions : Near Strength it

may mcan a big cat or pets; ncar the 5 of Wands it may mean an athletic

woman; near The Magician it may mean a powe rful woman who is a decision maker; near the King of Swords it may mean a woman doctor; near

The Hlerophant and/or in the 9th House of the Horoscope Spread it maymean a nun or a very religious woman.



KING of WANDS.

KI Nlj Of WA NDS


AC~ O f SW O IIDS

Possible Meanings: a creative man, an ent erprising man, a self-absorbed

man, a long-range planner, inattent ive to details

Possible Meanings In Combinations and/or Positions: Near the 3 of

Wands it may mean a man with far-reach ing goals; ncar the 9 of Penta

d es it may mean a well-dressed man; near the 9 of Cups it may mean a

proud man; near Judgement it may mean a politically idealistic man; inthe 8th House of the Horoscope Spread it may mean a man who ere

atively invests his cl ients' money or restructures bankrupt companies.


Possible Meanings: papers to besigned for insurance. taxes, or an estate;

a driver's license , vo ice mail. a fax. an e-mail

Possible Meanings In Combinations and/or Positions: Near the Queen of

Cups it may mean cos metic surgery: near T he Chariot and/or Justice itmay mean a parking ticket or speeding violation: near The Sun and/or

the King of Swords it may mean good news (rom a doctor or a dentist;

near the King of Swords it may mean bad news (rom an accounta nt or

problems wit h taxes; near the King of Swords and/or the 5 of Swords it

may mean a brush with the law; in the 8th House of the Horoscope

Spread it may mean credit or tax problems.


Z64 THE 2 - HOUR TAROT TUTOR

2 O f S W O RIlS

THE MINOR ARCANA

3 O f SW O RIlS

Z65

Possible Mean ings: indecision. worry. a stalemate, stress, tension . tuning

in [Q intuition , being pulledin two directi ons , headaches, medication

Possible Meanings In Combinations and/or Positions: Ncar the Ace ofSwords it may mean worry about credit or debt ; near The Sun it may

mean med ication will improve a heal th condition; near the 5 of Cups itma~' mea n a stress-related co ndition is re lieved by med ication; near the

7 of Pentacles it may mean indec ision about financial matters; near the

9 of Swords and/or The Moon it may mean n ightmares requiring sleep

medication: in [he 12[h House of [he Horoscope Spread it may mean 0bsessive worries.


Possible Meanings: sorrow, sadness , disappo intment. emotio nal suffering

and loss, arguing, political strife, heartburn. and/or indigestion

Possible Meanings In Combinations and/ or Positions: Near the 2 of

Swords it may mean heartburn requiring medication; near The Moon itmay mean severe digestive problems; near The Lovers j( may mean disap

pointment in romance or a breakup; ncar the 7 of Cups it may mean dis

illusionment; near (he 6 of Wands it may mean stress over contracts or

papers to be signed: in [he 12th House of [he Horoscope Spread it maymean emotiona l alienation.



4- Of S W O RDS


5 O f SW O R DS

Possible Meanings: recuperation , recovery, rest, waiti ng patiently, sleep#ing on it before making a decision, a funeral

Possible Meanings In Combinations and/or Positions: Near the King of

Pentacles it may mean business delays; near the 4 of Cups it may mean

slow meditative evaluation before making decisions; nearThe Sun and/orthe Ace of Swords it may mean recuperating after surgery; nearThe Hierophant it may mean contemplating a monastic life ; in the atmosphere of

the Celtic Cross Spread it may mean feeling lonely.


Possibl e Meanings: a violent argument, a crime, an abrupt change in

plans

Possible Meanings In Combinations and/or Positions: Near the Knight ofSwords it may mean a car accident or reckless driving; nearThe Devil itmay mean an angry. bitter. or sarcastic person; near the 3 of Cups it maymean an argument with friends; near the 7 of Swords it may mean a vio

lent crime and/or robbery: in the 3rd House of the Horoscope Spread itmay mean violence in (he neighborhood or an angry phone message.



6 O f SWORDS

THE MINOR ARCANA

7 Of SWO RDS

269

Possible Meanings: travel bywater, travel by air (over water), travel over

a bridge, n avel by subway or train. travel on a highway (possibly east or

northeast) or local travel, personality transfonn ations or changes

Poss ible Meanings In Combina tions a nd/ or Pos itions : Near The World it

may mean a long airplane trip; near The Chariot it may mean a long car

journey; nearThe Empress it may mean a tripto visit a mother; nearTheTower and/o r the 10 of Wand s and/or The Hanged Man and/o r in th e 3rd

House of the Horoscope Spread it may mean a sudden, unexpected

change in schedule requiring a short journey to fulfill a dutiful obligation

or to do someone a favor.


Possible Meanings: a thief, a spy, a malicious gossiper. making secret

plans. deception , behind the scenes manipulation, losing a set of keys

Possible Mea nings In Combina tions a nd/ or Positions: Nea r the Queen of

Swords it may mean a gossipy woman; ncar The High Priestess it may

mean the plann ing of highl y secretive operations; nearJudgement it may

mean a secret comes out; in the l Zth House of the Horoscope Spread it

may mean a corporate takeover or a coup; in the home of any spread it

may mean a dangerous person lurking around the home.


270 THE 2- HOUR TAROT TUTO R

8 Of SW O Il DS

THE MINOR ARCANA

]X.

··l'~·-III~··I'=="""""",·-1·='-III~._,.~

·-I·~-11<=I'Cf=.-lll=~ 9t=="

II :<'PJ~ ~M:'Jnrr.

..~~~1!!"'-:''!''_ ..........-='iJJ 1........

i&l!"J!

=~JB~.~_ ~:jGl.~~JIlIrJlR['; nil' _.- ' '''.' "f·r:E!JlnQIIiI~IlI(3':':···:-',:·'~lV.!f!P~CJ}~

9 O f SW O Il DS

27 1

Possible Meanings: restr ictions, prison, incarcerat ion . feeling trapped in

a bad situation, trusting one's intuit ion

Poss ible Meanings In Combinations and/or PositIons: Near the 4 of Pen

tacles it may mean financial restr ictions; near Justice it may mean legal

restric tions; near the Ace of Wands it may mean trying to find the way

out of a bad situation; in th e 7th House of the Horoscope Spread it may

mean feeling trapped in a marriage; near The Tower and/o r in the 12th

House of the Horoscope Spread it may mean long-term incarceration .


Possible Mean ings: illness, worry, nightmares. insomnia, a female disor

der. or female surgery

Possible Meanings In Combinations and/or Positions : Near The Moon it

may mean nightm ares or insomn ia because of digestive disturbances; near

The Empress it may mean a miscarriage or female illness; near the Ace of

Cups it may mean a disturbing message; near the 4 of Swords it may mean

sorrow over th e loss of a loved one; in the 10th House of the Horoscope

Spread it may mean worry over one's reputation.


272 THE 2 -HOUR TAROT TUTOR THE MINOR ARCANA 273

10 O f SWO R DS

Poss ible Meanings: said to be the uorsr card in the deck , severe depres

sian, anx iety, loss and misfonune

Poss ible Meanings in Combinations and/or Positions: near the 3 of

Swords and/or the 7 of C ups it may mean severe emoti onal trauma; near

Death it may mean thoughts of suicide: near the 5 of Pentacles it may (1 #

nancial ruin: near the 10 of Cups and The Tower it may mean loss of

one's home by fi re; in the 10th House of the Horoscope Spread it may

mean loss of one's reputation: in the horne of any spread it may mean

mean loss of one's home.


I

p A g \; O f SWO II D S

Possible Mean ings: an angry young person , an impulsive young person, a

headstrong youth, an immature person, a defensive individual . a fighter. a

poo r plann er

Possible Meanings in Combinations and/or Positions: Near rhe 6 of C ups

it may mean immature friends; near the 5 of Swords it may mean one

who looks for a fight ; near The Emperor it may mean anger towards the

father: near the 5 of Wands it may mean a childish or senseless argument;in the 3rd House of the Horoscope Spread it may mean an immature sib

ling.



K N I g HT O f SWO I\ DS

THE MINOR ARCANA

Q U{;{;N Of SW O I\ DS

275

Possible Mean ings: an aggressive individual. a hostile individual. a mil i

tary career

Possible Meanings In Combinations and/or Posit ions: Near th e King of

Swords it may mean an argument with a co p; near the 7 of Swords it may

mean a car thief; near The Magician it may mean a ruthless or despoticpersonality; near The Devil it may mean a sociopath; near the 5 ofWands it may mean the martial arts; in the 2nd House of the HoroscopeSpread it may mean impulsive spending.


Possible Meanings: a cruel woman, an abrasive woman, a cutthroat

woman , a wom an who cannot be trusted , a woman physician, a wo man

stockbroker.a police woman

Possible Meanings in Combinations and/ or Positions: Near The Devil it

may mean a jealous and vindi ctive woman ; near The Sun it may mean a

difficulty in getting pregnant; near the 7 of Wands it may mean a con

trolling woman: near The High Priestess it may mean a highl y secretive

woma n ; in [h e 10th House of the Horoscope Spread i[ may mean an abu

sive mother.



AboveYou

What Cove" You

3. _

[) at e: ___

Celtic Cross Spread Worksheet

Sign i6cator: _

2. _

What Cros.se'5 You

4 . _

BekJwYou

s. _

Beh ind You

1. _

I

KI NIj Of SW O II DS6. _

Possible Meanings : an accountant , a physician, a dentist, a lawyer. a law

enforcement officer, a so ldier, an inse nsitive man

Possible Meanings in Combinations and/or Positions: Near The Emperorit may mean a strict fathe r; near St rengt h it may mean a vet erinarian;

near the 6 of Pentacles it may mean an aggressive financia l advisor; in the

7,h House of the Horoscope Spread i' may mean a cold and indifferentspouse; in the 9th House of the Horoscope Spread it may mean a medicalstudent.

Before You

7. _

yOU/the Querent

8. _

Home. Famlty, Friends. and/or Environment

9. _

Hopesand/or Fears


10 . _

Outcome 01 Culmination

Notes and/or Observations:(correspondingevents. feelings,etc.)

Seven Triplets or Seven Sisters Spread Worksheet ...' Advanced Celtic Cross Spreeul Worksheet

4. Below You

3. Abo\'e You

L WhatCoversYou

3

DOlo: _

Signi6cOlor : _

/

2

5. Beh ind You

2. What Crosses You

6. Before You

DOlo: _

Pile 7

2 3

Pile 1

2 3

Pile 2

2 3

Pile 3

2 3

Pile 4

2 3

Pile 5

2 3

Pile 6

2 3

Notes and/ or Observations: (corresponding events, feelings, etc.) 2 3

7. You/The Querent

2 3

8. Home. Family. Friends, and/or Environment

9. Hopes and/or Fears

2 3

10. Outcome or Culmination

Notes and/or Observations: (corresponding events, feelings, etc.)

Horoscope Spread Worksheet

Dater _

1. _

1st House/ Querent

2. _

2nd House/FI nances

3. _

3m House/Communk:atlons

..------- - ------------4th House/Home

5. _

5th House/Romance

.._ - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -6th House/Work. Heatth

7. _

7th House/Partnert, Mamage

8. _

8th House/Cfedlt

9. _

9th HOUMjEducatlon

10. _

10th House/ Career

u . _

11th House/Friends

12 . _

12th House /Secret Enemies. Danger

13 . _

Center/G eneral lnlerpretatlon

Notes and/Of Observations: (correspond ing events, fee lings. etc.)

Five-By-Five I Month-By-Month Spread Worksheet

Date r _

Row l-Past or Immediate Past

Row 2-Pres.ent. Current Month

Row 3-TheNext Month

Row 4-The Followtng Month

Row 5-3 to 5 Months After

Notesand/Of Obsen1ltions: (corresponding events.feelings.etc.)

IOne-Year Spread Worksheet

Dater _

Significator: _

1. _

lst Month (OfCurrentCakmdar Month)

2. _

2nd Month

3. _

31ll Month

4. _

4th Month

S. _

Sth Month

6. _

6th Month

7. _

7th Month

8. _

8th Month

9. _

9th Month

10. _

10th Month

u . _

11th Month

12 . _

12th Month

Notes 8nd/Of Otrservatlons.: (corresponding ewnts, feelings, etc.)

The Horseshoe Spread Worksheet

Date: _

1. _

ThePast

2. _

ThePresent

3. _

The Immedlat& Future

..- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -The Querent and/or What the Questktn ts About

5. _------- - ----------The Attitud e of Another Penon

6. _

AnObstacle

7. _

The Outcome

Notes and/or Observations: (corresponding events. feelings.etc.)

\

B I BLIO<;jRAp HY

Buess, Lynn M. The Taro: and Tmrufornwion . Lakemont. G eorgia:

Tarnhelm Press, 1973.Campbell, Florence. Your D<rys Are Numbered. Ferndale. PA: The

Gateway, 1931.Ca vendish. Richard. The Black Arts . New York: G . P. Putnam's Sons.

1967.Douglas, Al fred. TheTaro:. New York: Penguin Books, 1973.Fortune, Dion , Pracrical Occultism in Daily Ufe. London: The Aquar

ian Press. 1935.Fortune. Dion, Psychic Self-Defence. London: The Aquarian Press,

1930.Ga rdner, Richard. TheTaro, Speaks . London: Rigel Press. 1971.Gray. Eden. A CompleteGuide w the Taro:. New York: Crown Publish

ers, Inc.. 1970.Gray, Eden . MasleTing the Taro:. New York: C rown Publishers. lnc.,

1971.Herrigel , Eugen , Zen in the Art Of Archery. New York: Panrheon

Books. Jnc., 1953.The I C hing or Book of Changes. Translated by Ca ry F. Baynes. Prince

ron: Princeton University Press. 1950.

286 BIBLIOGRAPHY

Lofthus, Myrna. A SpiritualApprooch 10 Astrology. Reno: CRCS Publications, 1983.

Ouspenskv, P. D. In Search of the Miraculous. New York: Harcourt,Brace & World, lnc., 1949.

Steinbach, Marten. Medical Palmistry. Secaucus: University Books,Inc., 1975.

Swami Vishnudevananda. The Complel£ lUustTated Book of YOI!P. NewYork: Bell Publishing Company, Inc., 1960.

Webster's NewWorId Di<:tiOllltry of Tht American Language, College Edition. Cleveland and New York: The World Publishing Company1953.

\

Tarot reader, psychic, and astrologer Wilma Carroll h as been

a practicing intuit ive consultant for over 35 years. She has ap

pea red on Li",with Regis, Lcze Show with David Letterman , and

The Learning C ha nnel, as well as Fox News and G ood Day NewYork. She has publi shed articles in DeUHoroscope and Fate Mag.azine , and she has bee n qu oted in the Daily News , New YorkPost , Teen People , and Vibe. Her presen ce has graced parties

thrown by Ivana Trump, Stone Phillips, Angie Everhart, Ron

Howard, and A my Tan.

Wilma Ca rroll inv ites all readers to visit her website,

www.wilm acarro ll.com or correspond with her at wilma.

ca rro ll@Yerizon .ne t.

(

-,

PIATKUS BOOKS

If you have- enjoyed U'.wing this book, you ouy be- interested in olM r tides publishal by Pi.ad..us. ThC'K incl ude:

PLiltkus Book l td , c/o Bcokpost, PO Box29, Dougb , Is le of ~n, IM99 180

P rien and ava ib bilily are 5ubjecl to cha nge wi lhoul prior no tice. A llow 1.. dlysfor deli ver y. When placing orde rs , please state if you do nOI wish 10 receive anyaJJil ional information.

£7.99£10.99

£9.99

£10.99

£7.99

£9.99

£9.99

£9.99

£10.99£8.99

£12.99

Drrrk Arorah

Kri lh Mn on

Jamn Van Pna,gh

Saah.. Fm ton

Roy Stnnman

Dannton Brinkky

10>« Kd '"Gill f.lJward.

Sl"Jvv, Brownr

VIIi$prin1l'1I

Nanq G.llrm

P. vchk Worid of Dcn-k Aeunh, T1wJUdionk . H.nJhook, T1wRC"«hint: To Hr",vnlRc-adinlt dw FulunRri nQ m.ll ton

S.,~ By T1w Ughl

5C"vm SIIl'fIIIO Heaven

Slqtpinc Into The MaPc

S"lvia B!"O"lM'" 8ooIl.Of Dream.S,.-mlool ThrnM"Tarot: ~~ Ea•.,.

All P Liltim s tid n are avaibble from:

0 7499 2N.'ltt it

0 7499 2120 X0 7499 1995 707..99 HlH 5

0 7"99 2Sl0 2

07..99 1040-1 Io 7,,99117S X07"99 2072 6

07499 H21 0

07"99 22-46 X07499 1009 7

Telephone (+44 ) 0 1624 67i 237Fax (++I) 01624 670 923Emai l: booh hop@e n lr rp riK.ne cFree Pottage anJ Pack ing in the Uniled KingdomC raJil Cards accep ted . All C hequn pay;r,ble 10 Bockpost

£12.99

£7.99

U 2.99

£10.99

£9.99

£9.99

£10.99

£10.99£9.99

£ll....£ll...£7.99

£12.99

£ 10.99

£ 10.9'1£10.99

£12 .99

£9 .99

£9.99

£ll....

£ll'"£10.99£8.....

£12. 99

£7 .99

£II.....

£ 12.99

£ 10.9'1£9.99

£9 .99

£9.99

£I 0.S0£9 .99

£" .99£9.99

£12 .99

£11.99

£12 .99£8....

£ ...£7.99

£Io.SO£7.99

C...uandflll F.a.onErN: HarriM1tl

}u.an Bor,.-wnIHt

Danniun 8rinkk,

Soni.l ChuqlK"tlr

~t.K P..rml

Phflli. Curott

Thom,;a.. M.tOfYUta ok AlbmJi

UnJ.a " i lli.l.mM1tlJ. O' 8rim and M. PalrM'r

N ITn KinplOft

PaulirM" " ill.H.,.. .,J aM Oc.>I"Othy Sun

JUrM" Mcl«od

Hoeece o..w." i lliam 8 h llllRUlh Whil ltCa nnrn tL,rn

lvma SI Aubvn

liz Simpoon

AnrM" Jor-lUt, Slrml1\iln

Man hr w MAnn in lC

8rian BroWfM' W;llkrr

Ambilo. . W. UIIt"

S, lvla Browne

Emm.ll Rr><tall Orr

Gill Edward.

U lli Spri ni:'"U

Bria n WritaRk hard LaWI"fl)("C"

John Ed".. rdfUm DataBrian WriM

S,lvillBro- 1'IC'Lori Rltid

Sflvia 8I'O""nC'[)rnitor Unn

Anl oinrttr SaIllJ'loO'1~lWndra EuonDi.aQ;l Couptt

~t.ry T. 8ro-1'IC'

10 Sirp 10 r . ,,-chic POWn'

S· Minu cl' Maiib tor. 11M-A W..lfnjln'. SpiricWlI }oumtl

AI PC'aCC' In 11M- lit:h1

&Lancinc Yt'Ur Ch.U.rn

Ikl~;nl It AU

8t.*()(~.

Care' Of The-Soul

etunl'lC'lIincChildrm & 11M' Spiri t \\'orIJ

Chi_ Face' and funJ Reading

Clnl Your O utl lM' " ilb Fft\C Shui

Colour Hn lin« MMUUJ

Colou r Your Lfc:

CoIou" of 1M Soulllo lrbin Hn1in ll:

EnJo.-rhin Eff« t. TbeE.nnn Hnling For ~nnrn

EvC'1"yda , Kann.ll

b C'1""d., Ritual. a nd Cnomon~

FindiflK Ful61mml

Heal Yourtrlf

lt r"lrn " nd H ra linK

HralinKJOUn'lC'V, T1wI Chin KOr BooIl Of Chan K" , T1wJOUnM'Yof Srlf l)i fo('(wr ry

Ufr on thr Othrr SidrU vin lC D ru idr ,

living ~t.gi('...lIy

Malo. r You r Vrrama Comr Trur

M.tn y li' "n ,~V M-tC'nMaJ italKJn Plan, The-

One- La.I1irM'

One-·lirM"n

Onl, Love It Rt-alO<h« SiJ< ond IlKk. 11><Palmi Ir , in thC' 21 t Unlury

Pa I Uvn , FuIU", HralinKP.. I Uvn. Prnrnl Dnam

PC".KItA~I.

PmJulum [)o. in,:

Po-Il'r of I nnn PIt;lllCC", lbitPowtT of Karma, T1w

o 7<4~ 2293 I

o HQQ 2-459 ..

07499 21609

070499 15lH I

0749921 10 2o HQQ 2201 Xo HQIq 196Q 8

OH99 11689

07499 IlWl 6

07..99 177] 1

07499 19 29 9

07..99 ISH 1

07"99 200+9 t

07"99 ItWi 2o 70499 2096 }

070499 207 9 3

o H 992 15H107499 23012

07-499 2-4 152

07..99 1927 2

07..99 l l ·n 9

o H'N 229S ~

07"99 IlJ.lZ 6

07"99 DOH }OHIN l IMO

o H 9Y 1510 2

o HW 21H2 X07..99 20497 7

o HIN 207 1 H

0 7499 21 19 J

0 7-499 1J 71S 9

0 7499 195H 2

0 70499 1979 5

07499 2l'J.4 b

07499 16106

07499 lCNt 20 7499 ZOrN 0o H Q9 12 2S I

0 7499 1377 007499 ZJ92 X

0 74992('l6045

07499 I94H S

07499 Hll 5

the 2-hour tarot tutor the fast, revolutionary method

Documents

i lliam

the2hourtarottutorthe

includ ing books

advant age of ouf speci

revolut ionarymethod

hllllrul h whil ltca

slrml1ilnman hr w mann

lc8rianbrowfm wll krrambilo